Though She Be But Little
by TheRedScreech
Summary: A series of one-shots and some multi-shots about our favourite, littlest paladin. Mostly fluff, definitely some angst. NO ROMANCE. Any and all ships are purely platonic. Disclaimer: I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1: The Maze

**Author's Note:** Okay, guys. I'm terribly sorry for not posting in TFM or Broken Day but I recently discovered Voltron: Legendary Defender, and now the plot bunnies won't leave me alone. It's totally my fault and I apologise. On the other hand, I adore Pidge and so my new fic is dedicated to her. I've no idea how long this is going to be or how often I'll update. I just needed to get this chapter out of my system.

 **Though She Be But Little**

Summary: A series of one-shots (and maybe some short multi-shots) about our favourite, littlest paladin.

 _Chapter One: The Maze_

"Hey, half-pint!"

Pidge grunted non-committedly and plopped herself into her chair. Rubbing her eyes with one hand, she groped for her spoon with the other.

"What's the matter, short-stop? You look tired," Lance continued, undeterred.

Pidge shovelled green goo into her mouth to keep from answering.

"You know, squirt, if you're this grouchy in the morning, maybe you should sleep more?"

She didn't even grace that with a response. She knew she should sleep more but she'd been running facial recognitions through her stolen Galra databanks in the hopes of finding her dad and brother. No luck so far but that meant nothing. The universe was a big place. She'd only gone to bed because Green had almost crushed her laptop as a threat. The giant, pushy, magic, mechanical Lion that she was.

At least Pidge's lack of response shut Lance up. He turned on Keith instead. Geez, why did he have to pick a fight this early in the morning? The guy was far too chip to be healthy. At least Allura would take him down a notch or nine in training.

Training. Ugh. Okay, so it wasn't all that bad, but Pidge hadn't slept well and, yes, she was trying but not as hard as she knew she could. After getting the crud kicked out of her by the combat drone (and then sadistically enjoying watching Lance get the crud kicked out of him), Allura changed tactics.

"Bonding time!" she crowed which was met with groans from everyone. "Oh, come on!" she encouraged brightly. "You've done this one before."

"Please don't be the maze, please don't be the maze," Lance whispered.

"The maze!"

"Awwww!"

Pidge just smiled. She could do the maze with her eyes closed.

Allura beamed. "The usual partners, I think, for the first round but then we'll switch it up a bit."

Pidge was in the process of giving Shiro a knowing look when she froze. What did Allura mean 'switch it up'? They were going to switch partners? Why? Well, she knew why. The bond among the team as a whole needed to be strong. But still…why?

Shiro reached over and gave her shoulder a squeeze, reassuring her without words.

"Pidge, you're up first," said Allura. "Paladins, clear the deck."

Pidge waited patiently in the middle of the floor until she heard the telltale buzz of the invisible, electric walls. Then she heard Shiro's voice, calm and confident: "Turn to your right and take three steps forward."

Pidge's eyes slid closed automatically as she turned. Oh, yeah. This was something she could do.

Everyone took their turn with very few incidents with the walls – they were getting better at listening to each other. Even Lance did well, instructing Hunk through the maze.

"Excellent!" Allura smiled at them all while Coran stood off to the side, stroking his moustache. "Now, Coran has thoughtfully reprogrammed the maze into several different designs so the next round will be an entirely different maze. Also, we're switching partners! Shiro, you'll guide Lance. Hunk, you'll guide Keith. Keith will guide Shiro. Pidge, you'll guide Hunk. And Lance, you'll guide Pidge."

When Pidge looked over at Lance, he looked confident. Shiro had looked no less so. She could trust Lance…right?

Having gone first for the first round, Pidge went last for the second. By that time, Keith, Hunk and Shiro had gone in search of lunch so it was just Lance in the control booth, and Allura and Coran had gone off to wherever they went when they weren't supervising the paladins. Pidge stood on the deck and wondered why her heart was racing in her chest. She wasn't afraid. She liked Lance. He was friendly – a bit overly but she chalked that up to coming from a large family – he was open and kind when he wasn't making fun of her size or her sleeping habits or her technological jargon. He was a team asset. He had an eye for detail and was skilled at long-range warfare – she'd seen him get downright mean with his bayard. She trusted him, she really did, so why was she scared?

The walls hummed and she thrust all fear from her mind. She closed her eyes and inhaled.

"Take two steps forward and turn left," Lance said, no doubt or concern in his voice.

She obeyed. Two steps forward, turn left. Electricity zapped her and she stumbled back, her eyes snapping open.

"What was that? I said take two steps!"

"That was two!" she shot back at the booth.

"No, that wasn't! That was like one and a little bit."

Pidge gritted her teeth. "Fine. Starting from where I am, where do I go?"

"Okay. Take five steps forward and turn right."

She obeyed and collided with another wall. "Ow! Lance!"

"It's not my fault!"

"You're the only one who can see where I'm going so, yeah, it kind of is!"

"Well, yeah, but you're not following my directions! Your steps are too small."

"I'm a small person!"

"So take bigger ones!"

"Shiro didn't have any trouble!"

There was a beat of silence and then she heard a distant _thunk_ , like a door being slammed.

"Lance?"

No answer.

"Lance? Are you there?"

Nothing.

Had he…had he left her in here?

Pidge's heart beat faster. "Lance? I'm sorry I got mad. I didn't mean to compare you to Shiro. I guess I'm just used to him being my partner. He made me walk into a wall before he realised he needed to give me more steps. My steps are just smaller. I don't have as long of a stride as you guys do. I have to jog when you're walking if I want to keep up with you." She smiled, interjecting humour, but there was still no response from the control booth.

"Lance? Please tell me you're there."

Tears stung her eyes when nothing but the walls' electrified buzz met her ears. She bit them back, clamping down, pushing, shoving her pain somewhere else.

"Fine," she bit out. "Have it your way." Bonding exercise her foot. She had learned from an early age to solve problems on her own. She had learned how to do a lot of things on her own.

Pidge closed her eyes and brought her hands up, spreading out. She inhaled, exhaled, and calmed her heart. Electricity gave off heat. She could feel her way out. She would have to.

She would.

-:-:-:-

Lance stomped through the long and winding halls to the dining room. He didn't want to be mad at Pidge but he was mad at Pidge. She made everything his fault. It wasn't his fault – it wasn't! She was just so small. He could admit to himself that he made fun of her a lot for her size but he'd never realised how small she was until he was trying to direct her through the maze. Her steps were just so freakishly tiny!

He stormed into the dining room and everyone stared at him. Allura and Coran were here, too.

"Didn't go so well, bud?" Hunk asked with concern.

Lance ignored him. Now that he was here, his anger was derailing into embarrassment. "Shiro," he muttered, "I can't get Pidge through the maze. I can't adjust for her short stride."

Far from looking amused, Shiro's eyes widened in dismay. "You left her in there?"

"Well, yeah. I only came to get you…" Lance trailed off at the look of horror in everyone's face. "What?"

Shiro didn't answer. He shoved his chair back and ran, Coran right on his heels. Allura gave Lance a scathing look while Keith didn't even look at him. Hunk sighed and slung an arm around his shoulders.

"Come on, man. Let's find Pidge before she finds you."

-:-:-:-

If she hadn't been wearing gloves, Pidge's fingers would have blistered by now; she lost count of how many times she had gotten zapped. As it was, she didn't even sigh with relief when an alarm beeped cheerfully, the completed maze collapsing behind her. She was free. It hadn't taken as long as she'd thought (and had taken a whole lot more luck than she'd thought) but now, she just wanted to go to bed.

Exiting the training deck, running footsteps made her pause. She looked over at Shiro who had ground to a halt, Coran right behind him. Both stared at her.

Pidge opened her mouth to greet them – or maybe ask why they looked like she had sprouted another head – when Hunk and Lance came around the corner.

Lance.

Her hands curled into fists, she felt her eyes narrow, and she turned around and stalked away.

"Pidge?"

Pidge ignored him.

"Pidge, wait." A hand landed on her shoulder.

Bad move.

Pidge grabbed that hand, shifted her weight and threw Lance over her hip into the nearest wall. "Don't. Touch. Me," she snarled.

Lance stared up at her, eyes wide in his face.

Pidge didn't give him or anyone else in the hall a second glance. She left.

They did the maze again the next day but switched back to their original partners. Pidge found no pleasure in it anymore. She kept her eyes closed and did as Shiro told her. She didn't even graze a wall but there was no triumph in that. Not anymore. Not when she knew she could do this by herself, also with her eyes closed, which she did when all the others were done and gone. She knew she was losing faith in her team, knew that her lone-wolf attitude would come back to bite her when they needed to form Voltron, whenever that would be.

Pidge was with the team only out of necessity which was during training. She took her leisure time and her meals in her room or in her lab in Green's hangar, both of which she locked. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She didn't want to listen to Lance apologise – like this was something someone could say a few words about and then all would be well. Pidge knew that she would have to forgive him at some point but she was too hurt. She wasn't even angry at him, not anymore, but he had hurt her. Left her. Hadn't said anything to let her know that he had only been going to get Shiro because Shiro was the one who could guide her through without fail every time. If Lance had said _something,_ Pidge would have waited. Probably. She wouldn't have thrown him into the wall, though. Probably.

Pidge hated that she couldn't trust her team as a whole. She could trust Shiro, would follow him to the universe's edge and beyond, but not the team. The team was patchy and unreliable, and she hated that that was what she thought of them.

She hated that something as trivial as her size was the cause of it.

-:-:-:-

"Pidge is becoming more and more secluded." Shiro could not look Allura in the face as he said it. He was the leader of this team and this team was falling apart.

Allura nodded, her eyes distant and solemn. "Yes. We must remedy that."

"How? She won't even talk to us – she won't talk to me! What can we do?"

Surprisingly, it was Coran who spoke. "Perhaps Pidge simply needs a reaffirmation of her trust in the team, and I know just the thing."

-:-:-:-

"The maze again?" Lance whined.

Pidge silently admired the way Allura shut him up with a look. She would pay to learn how to deliver that look effectively.

"Yes, Lance. The maze again. I've seen some sloppy teamwork from you all these last few days, and the maze is an excellent way to build trust." Blue, Altean eyes landed on Pidge. "Pidge shall go first. Paladins, come with me."

Pidge blinked in surprise, as did all of the others, because shouldn't it just be Shiro leaving? What was going on? Did Allura want her to prove that she could make it through the maze on her own? That hardly seemed accurate, considering the princess's rebuke of their recent team-building skills.

Pidge did her best to even out her breathing. Then the walls hummed as they burst from the floor.

"Turn right and take four steps. Then turn right again." Shiro's voice was calm and confident as always, and Pidge automatically relaxed, letting her eyes slide shut.

"Why do you close your eyes, Paladin?" Coran's voice over the intercom startled her but she answered smoothly.

"I don't need to see where I'm going."

"Why is that?"

Pidge frowned. Shiro wasn't giving anymore instructions. What was she supposed to do? Keep going?

"Paladin? Answer the question." Coran sounded irritated. At her? Why?

"I don't need to see because Shiro is my eyes."

"And you trust him?"

She didn't even think about her answer. "Yes."

There was a pause, then, "Take nine steps forward and turn left."

"Keith?" Pidge didn't open her eyes but what was Keith doing?

"Take nine steps forward and turn left," Keith repeated.

Were they all taking turns directing her? Was this Allura's idea of team bonding? That meant that sooner or later Lance would have a turn. Her fists clenched at the thought.

"Is something the matter, Paladin?" Coran asked stiffly.

His tone was identical to the drill sergeants at the Garrison and her spine straightened instantly. "No, sir," she replied, and she took those nine steps and turned left, her eyes still closed.

"Walk forward five paces, turn left, and then take seven more steps." It was Shiro again. What was the ploy here?

Keith again: "Turn left, walk thirteen steps, turn right."

Then it was Hunk. "Take four steps, turn right, take eight steps and turn left."

Now her heart began to beat faster. They were taking turns. Hunk, Keith, Shiro, Hunk, Shiro, Keith, Hunk, Keith, Hunk, Shiro. They were also leading her in circles. Her sense of direction was decent but her brain was sharper, taking stock of all steps and turns. She was deep in the maze yet she was going around in circles. She came to no dead-ends, she hit no walls, but she could no longer trust where they were leading her but she obeyed anyway because their trick had to end soon, right?

It was Shiro's turn again. He asked her to turn right. She hesitated because what if she needed to go left instead? If she went right, she would doubtlessly continue circling. How long had she been in the maze for? Twenty, thirty minutes? Twice as long as her unguided record time. Five times as long as her guided record with Shiro.

Coran's voice crackled through the system. "Paladin, your leader gave you instructions. Why aren't you moving?"

Pidge wanted to cry. This was not fair. This wasn't fair to her or to her team who had to watch her obey their misleading directions. She bit back her tears and turned left, lifting her hands.

Voices clamoured through the training deck, reverberating off the walls – Coran, Shiro, Keith, and Hunk: "Pidge, Pidge, you're going the wrong way! You're headed straight for a wall! Turn back, turn back!"

It didn't escape her notice that Lance had not yet given her directions, nor spoken at all. She made herself not care.

The air suddenly warmed around her fingertips and Pidge froze. A wall. They were right. She had reached a dead-end.

Now what?

There was only silence from the booth. She didn't dare open her eyes, though; she could not trust them.

Sudden footsteps behind her made her whirl just as she snapped her eyes open.

"Lance?"

Lance was walking slowly toward her and…had his eyes closed? "Hey, Pidge," he said. "You lost?" He tried to sound casual but there was a tremor in his voice.

Pidge was tempted to say no. She wasn't lost. She could figure this out on her own. She'd done it before…

Lance reached her, his arm bumping her shoulder. "Oops. Sorry." He opened his eyes and looked at her. He didn't smile, not when he was looking right at her. "So, uh, I got Allura in my ear. She'll get us out."

"If she's on a different channel, just tell me what it is," Pidge retorted. She wanted to take a step back but the wall was in her way. She settled for crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sorry, Pidge." He looked sorry, his brow low and a frown pulling his mouth. "It's a separate com-link. Allura can show you what she did to my helmet to get it to work when we get out."

Meaning that the only way for her to get out of the maze was to trust Lance. Pidge flicked her eyes up to the control booth. She couldn't see through the tinted glass and she could only guess where Shiro would be, but she picked a spot and glared at it for a second before sighing.

"Okay," she said, dropping her arms.

Surprise shot Lance's eyebrows up his forehead. "Okay?"

"Okay."

Lance hesitated before holding out a hand. "I really am sorry that I left you in here. I was a jerk. I didn't mean to hurt you and I'm so, so sorry that I did."

Pidge looked away, her arms twitching to come up again and act as a barrier between her and him. "You could have said you were going to get Shiro," she whispered. "I thought…"

"You thought I'd just leave you?" Lance was trying so hard not to be offended; Pidge could hear the strain in his voice.

Pidge shrugged. "It's happened before. People leaving without a word, and I don't know if they're coming back or not." A couple of traitorous tears slipped down her cheeks and she looked up at Lance.

Now Lance smiled. It was sad and sorry and hurt but it was for her. His sorrow was for hers, and he wrapped her gently in a hug. He tucked her under his chin, his arms secure around her. She stiffened for only a second, contemplating throwing him into a wall again. But the walls were electrified and she was done being petty and hurt and lonely. She hugged him back, sniffing quietly.

"We're not going to leave you, Pidge," Lance told her, his voice like that of an elder sibling to soothe a child's fear of a thunderstorm. _It'll be over soon. We're inside, safe and warm. The rain can't get you, and neither can the thunder. It'll be over soon._

"This is war, Lance. We're in a war. You can't make promises like that."

"I can make whatever promises I want!" Lance retorted. He let her go, only to grip her by the upper arms as he crouched to be more on her level. "Promises make you accountable. Promises give you a reason to fight tooth and nail. We're not going to leave, Pidge. We're going to stay together as a team because even though the whole dang universe is counting on us, I don't want to let you down."

Pidge gulped back her tears. "You scared of me that much, McClain?"

"I've never seen a Galra half my size judo-throw me into a wall," he deadpanned.

Pidge snorted wetly and smiled. It was so hard to stay mad at Lance for long. The overly-friendly, over-confident buffoon.

"Come on." Lance straightened and held out a hand to her, throwing his other thumb over his shoulder. "Allura says six steps that way and turn left. We have to back-track a ways," he explained.

Figured. "Is that six steps for you or for me?"

"Me," said Lance. "How many would it be for you?"

"About ten."

"Oh."

She shook her head. "Much to learn, my young padawan has," she grumbled low, taking his hand.

"Kiddo, you're already short and green and have the attitude of a gremlin. You really don't want to go there."

"Sassy, my young padawan is," Pidge continued in the same gravelly voice. "Teach him some manners, I will." She kicked him lightly in the shin, their armour clanking.

"Sorry, Master Yoda," Lance conceded with a wince, though he grinned. "Shall we?"

Pidge nodded, grinning in turn, and closed her eyes. Peeking through an eyelid, she saw Lance had closed his eyes, too, and had a look of intense concentration on his face. "Six steps for you," she reminded him, squeezing his hand.

"Right." He squeezed back and they walked forward.

Pidge kept her right arm out as she allowed Lance and Allura to guide her, but the air never warmed with a nearing wall. A few minutes later, when the alarm beeped and the maze collapsed, she finally opened her eyes and found Shiro, Keith, Hunk, Coran and Allura waiting for her.

Allura smiled at Pidge. "Well done, Paladins. Well done."

It occurred to Pidge as Shiro and Hunk dragged Keith in for a group hug that she hadn't let go of Lance's hand yet. Whatever. If it went to his head, she would just throw him into another wall.


	2. Chapter 2: Climbing

**Guest:** Thank you!

 **Guest:** I'm glad I made you laugh! That's so kind of you to say. Thank you!

 **Author's Note:** Thanks to all who have read, favourited and followed so far. You're all wonderful!

 _Chapter 2: Climbing_

Pidge threw herself out of the way of a drone's blaster. Rolling, she came up on her knees behind a low wall, only to duck again as the hot-blue shots streaked over her head.

 _"_ _Pidge?"_ Shiro called over the comms.

"All good," she huffed back. She winced as the drone struck her wall twice but the reinforced wall held – she really had to talk to Coran about what kind of material they used on the ship; it could prove useful if she could enlist Hunk in helping her make adjustments to the Lions.

 _"_ _Okay. Lance, cover Pidge so she can get out of there. Hunk, Keith, with me."_

The sound of a nearing blaster almost deafened her but Pidge made herself move when she saw Lance in her right peripheral.

 _"_ _You're going to have to do better than that, Lance!"_ Coran informed them over the intercom. _"These drones are different from the others and have only one weak spot. It's up to you to figure it out."_

As Pidge ducked out from behind the wall and ran for Lance, she heard him grunt, "Can't you give us a hint?"

"Where's the fun in that?" she demanded, coming to a halt behind him.

She smirked at Lance's dismay and peered around him at their opponent. The drone wasn't any bigger or stronger than its predecessors but she knew its armour was tougher than any of the others. Still, Coran had said it had a weak spot. Where was it? Where was it?

Pidge's eyes roved over the robot as it and Lance continued to exchange weapons fire. On the other side of the training deck, Shiro, Keith and Hunk were in full-out war with two drones of their own. Standing at seven feet in height, the drones were sleeker than the Galra robots and possessed wicked double-barrel blasters. Though not as heavily armoured as their Galra counterparts, Coran had hinted that these drones were made of stuff similar to steel except ten times harder so the usual places to aim for, like the chest and head, were useless. Tougher indeed. The armour also almost completely covered them, except for the crucial joints in its legs, arms, waist, shoulders and...

Pidge suddenly smiled. She had found the weak spot.

"Hey, Lance. Draw its fire."

Without waiting to see if he would – of course he would – Pidge ran out from behind. Her shield engaged and she blocked the enemy blasts. "Lance!"

"Oh, right. Geez, kid, what are you doing?"

"Coran said these things have a weakness. I just found it."

 _"_ _Pidge!"_ It wasn't just Lance who warned her but the entire rest of her team.

Pidge rolled her eyes at the overprotective bunch and continued to dodge and evade. Lance finally got the drone's attention: it turned away from her and as soon as it did, Pidge rushed in. One thing she loved about mechanical opponents was that they all offered lovely nooks and crannies for hand- and footholds. Her quick brain located holds all the way up the robot's seven-foot frame, and then she was on top of it.

"Pidge, what the quiznak are you doing! ?" Shiro yelled – in her ear, across the training deck.

"Working," she retorted. Her small hands and feet dug in and held on as the drone twisted, trying to shoot her. The poor thing had specific programming that prevented it from dropping its weapon so it couldn't grab her. Oh, well. All the more advantage to her.

"Lance, bring it down before she gets killed!"

"Don't bother!" With a sweep of her bayard through the narrow opening between the oblong head and the wide torso, Pidge sliced the head off. Sparks burst from the severed wiring, the blaster ceased firing, and, creaking and groaning, the decapitated drone fell to the ground. Pidge jumped off before it hit the floor, landing with her feet together and her arms out like a gymnast. "Ta da!"

While Shiro, Hunk and Lance gaped at her, Keith took down the remaining drones with two elegant sweeps of his sword. He took off his helmet and Pidge could see his half-smile even from across the training deck. He gave her a thumb's up. "Good call, Pidge," he praised.

 _"_ _Well done, Paladins!"_ Coran said from the booth. _"Not exactly how I thought you would remove the processing unit but you've proven an adept climber, Number Five."_

Pidge stowed her deactivated bayard on her belt, removed her helmet and shook her hair out. "Thanks, Coran," she said.

 _"_ _You're welcome! I believe that concludes your training for today. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."_

"Oh, heck, no!" Hunk ran for the door. "No, no, no! You are not! Not if I beat you there!"

Pidge giggled. And the race was on. Everyone but Coran had learned to not mess with Hunk when it came to making meals, but the Altean was bent on rewarding them with vile (if nutritious) food. It was common entertainment for the paladins to find out who won the foot race to the kitchen; and if Hunk was victor, they were rewarded all the more richly.

After a grueling morning of training, the paladins were disappointed when Coran sauntered from the kitchen, loaded plates and bowls floating after him. Pidge imagined the man as a cat as he sat to the left of Allura's empty chair and stroked his moustache, washing his whiskers of canary residue. Hunk was a slumped over bump on the log in his own chair, his gaze morose as his defeat was literally shoved down throat.

"Cheer up, Hunk," Pidge said, sitting beside him. "You'll beat him next time."

"If there is a next time," was the solemn reply. "I think this food will actually kill me." He poked his bowl with his spoon, clearly anticipating the goop to gain consciousness and turn on him.

Pidge patted his shoulder and turned to her own bowl. Eyeing it warily, she scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.

Ugh. Yuck. Blech. But filling and nutritious.

What she wouldn't give for a peanut butter cup.

They were halfway through the meal when Allura walked in. "I've set the coordinates for the Suroï system. Hopefully, we'll find some allies among the free planets that are there. Ah, Coran, this looks wonderful!"

She settled down with a bowl of her own and grinned at them all. "I heard excellent things from Coran in training today, especially you, Pidge. Well done."

Pidge almost choked on her goo, her face heating at the praise that rarely came her way from the princess. She swallowed thickly and squeaked, "Thank you?"

Lance snickered into his bowl and Shiro elbowed him.

"I am curious," said Coran, "about where you learned to climb so well."

Pidge tried to answer without embarrassing herself further. "I didn't really learn it. I just do it. I do it all the time."

"You climb seven-foot-tall robots all the time?" Lance ribbed. Shiro elbowed him harder and gave him a stern look.

"No. I…just…climb. I kind of have to 'cause I'm, you know…short."

The faces around her were mixed: Shiro and Hunk were smiling, Lance was snickering, Keith was unperturbed, and Allura and Coran stared at her.

"I climb everything," Pidge continued. "Shelves and counters or whatever to get at whatever I need. It's easier than fetching a stool or a chair. I've been doing it for years." A sudden smile lit her face and she added, "I even climb on people if I need to."

Shiro coughed on his food, clearly remembering the time when they had gone to get the Green Lion. They'd been startled by a tall, sloth-like creature, and Pidge, out of pure terror, had scaled Shiro like a tree. Pidge smiled at him.

Turning back to Allura and Coran, she said, "Anyway, yeah. I'm good at climbing. Also, my hands and feet are small so I can usually find a decent hold. That drone in training was no biggie. I once raced Matt up the oak tree in our yard during a windstorm. _That_ was hard. I totally beat him to the top, though, because he chickened out halfway up."

Now it was Shiro's turn to laugh. "That's because your brother has no fondness for heights."

Pidge smirked. "No, he doesn't which makes me wonder what he was like during lift-off."

"Oh, geez!" Shiro startled everyone when he dropped his face into his hands and his shoulders shook with laughter. "He had the window seat! I forgot he had the window seat. He was screeching the whole way up until we broke free of atmo!"

The entire table erupted with laughter but Pidge was loudest of all. She cackled, long and hard. She folded her arms on the tabletop and rested her head there, laughing and laughing. After a long moment, she got her breath back enough to say, "Tell me you'll help me to never let him live it down."

Still chuckling, Shiro raised his right hand. "Scout's honour."

"So let me get this straight," said Lance, smiling at her. "You mean to tell me that you, who's barely over five feet, are not afraid of heights?"

"Why would I be?" asked Pidge.

"I dunno. I thought all short people had issues with heights because they're not used to being high up."

Pidge outright grinned. "Matt is taller than you, Lance, and he's scared of step ladders."

"Not that he'd need one."

Everyone stared at Keith. In the dead silence, Pidge could have heard a pin drop.

"Oh my gosh, Keith! Did you just make a joke?" Lance gaped at him. "Did someone record that? Please tell me someone recorded that!"

Keith tried to scowl but Pidge saw his mouth twitch upward. "I am capable of emotions, you know."

"Well, yeah, but, like, you made an actual joke. You don't need emotions for those!"

"Just like you don't need your brain for talking?"

"Ooooh!" Hunk grinned, egging them on.

"Okay, guys," Shiro said. "That's enough."

But neither Keith nor Lance seemed to hear, and Pidge took that as her cue to leave. Ducking out of the dining room, she headed straight for Green's hangar. Her Lion sat in her usual rest, on her haunches with her head high.

"Hey, girl," Pidge greeted, striding in. "Mind if I join you?"

Green rumbled in acquiescence and Pidge boosted herself up onto the nearest paw. Standing, she hooked her hands and feet into the little divots in Green's leg and began to climb. Hand over hand, one foot after another, she continued all the way to her Lion's neck where she crawled along to rest on top of her head, just above her glowing, yellow eyes. Lying on her stomach and crossing her ankles in the air, she propped one hand in her chin and trailed the other over the warm metal. She smiled when Green began to purr.

Unbeknownst to Pidge, Allura and Coran smiled at the security pad which displayed the littlest paladin resting atop her Lion's head some fifty feet above the ground. Now they understood what she meant by climbing all the time, and Allura had to wonder if any kind of challenge existed that would cause even the most daring of the paladins to balk.

She doubted it.


	3. Chapter 3: Bold

**dragonrider1234:** Thank you. I'm pleased you thought so. I'm still a little new to this fandom so I hope to do the characters justice. :)

 **Guest:** You really should go watch VLD. Chapter 3 contains spoilers, just so you know.

 **FanladyGreen2012:** That's kind of you to say, thank you!

 **Guest:** I will definitely make more of these!

 **Caution: Spoilers for Season Two.**

 _Chapter 3: Bold_

The upside to Pidge's current predicament was that it could have been a lot worse.

It could have been a lot better, too, but she wasn't complaining.

No, that was what Keith was doing.

Okay, fine, so he wasn't really complaining, not like Lance would have been if their places had been switched, but he was pacing and it was grinding on Pidge's nerves. She couldn't fault him for it, but being captured by the Galra was hardly a cause to lose one's composure.

"Keith, I'm begging you here, please sit down. You're going to give yourself an aneurism," Pidge said, trying to sound kind but ending up sounding tired and frightened.

Keith barely glanced at her. "How could this have happened?" he hissed to himself. "Where did it all go wrong?"

Pidge stood up and walked over to him, getting in his way and blocking him. "Keith, take a breath. It's not your fault. We got duped. There was bound to be some aliens who don't mind Zarkon's rule. Everyone knows that Voltron is helping out people in trouble so they faked trouble. We fell for it because we weren't expecting it. Hey." She ducked in closer to catch his eye, smiling as she did. "At least Shiro and the others are okay. They got out which means they'll come back for us."

Keith blinked at her. The purple light in their cell turned his eyes deep black and his skin more pale than usual. He was a ghost beneath the greyish-purple outfits the Galra had forced them into. He trembled where he stood, from rage or fear, Pidge didn't know so she took his elbow and gently pulled him to the floor in the corner farthest from the door. Disregarding the fact that Keith was never one for close, personal contact, she draped his right arm over her shoulders and cuddled up to his side.

She focussed on her breathing. Deep inhale. Deep exhale. In and out. Slow and steady.

Keith matched her breaths after a long moment, finally letting his body relax. He did tighten the grip around her, though, bringing her closer. "Thanks, Pidge," he rasped.

"Any time, man. You okay?"

"Kind of. Do you…you think they know I'm part Galra? That that's why they grabbed me?"

"No. Well, I mean, maybe, but I think it was more the luck of the draw. We scattered and they picked us off before we could even get to our Lions. We just happened to get the short end of the stick. Remember, I'm here, too." She looked up at him as she said it, craning her neck. "If they were just after you, they wouldn't have bothered with me. They're after Voltron and now they have two of its paladins."

"Right," Keith sighed. "You're right. That makes sense."

"Of course I'm right," Pidge said, digging a gentle elbow in his ribs. "When am I not?"

Pidge inwardly triumphed when Keith smiled and they fell into silence.

The silence didn't last. "Remember that time when we were trying to form Voltron for the first time on purpose, and Allura and Coran got all fed up with us?" Keith asked.

Pidge snorted. "Oh, yeah. They chained us to each other. That was rude."

"Yeah, but you know what I remember the most?"

"What?"

"What you said to Allura. You challenged her. "The princess of what? We're the only ones out here. She's no princess of ours" is what you said."

"And then I got a face full of goo," Pidge reminded him. "Totally worth it, though."

Keith snickered but sobered quickly. "You know, I think that was the first time I thought that you belonged on the team. I mean, when we met, I couldn't look past how young you are. You just looked so…fragile."

Pidge was tempted to elbow him again but didn't because he kept going.

"I didn't want you to come with us to the caves or help with Shiro or anything but I didn't say anything because I felt like I had no right. You were Lance and Hunk's friend and I guess maybe if they were okay with it, then I should be, too. It didn't stop me from doubting you, though. Worrying. But then at dinner when you said what you did to Allura, I knew in a second that I was wrong. You're so young and so small but at the same time, you're bold. You're bolder than I ever could be and you're not cocky about it like Lance is. You say and do stuff without holding back. You never hold back, Pidge."

Pidge was silent, her heart hammering behind her ribs, her face hot. No one had ever said something so kind before – and certainly not Keith.

"Pidge?"

"Um. Thanks." Because what else was she supposed to say that?

The arm around her squeezed. "Anytime."

Heavy footsteps – too heavy even if it was Shiro or Hunk – pounded through the hallway outside their door, and Pidge had barely enough time to blink before Keith dragged her to her feet and placed himself in front of her just as the door slammed open.

A Galra the size and breadth of a mature cedar scowled at them, his narrow eyes pinning Pidge where she stood and narrowing further. Then he stepped aside. "They're all yours."

Pidge had never seen a druid up close before. Shiro had and so had Keith, and neither had been pleasant encounters. Half-hiding behind Keith, she reached out and touched his arm. Though he trembled, her friend shifted, hiding her almost completely.

The druid came to a fluid stop in the middle of the cell. "Thank you, commander," he hissed, his voice a wispy baritone. "The little one first."

Pidge's heart leaped into her throat just as her stomach dropped out. The Galra commander and one other entered. Before either of them could react, the commander snatched Keith around the throat and pinned him to the wall while the other Galra soldier grabbed Pidge by the back of her neck and dragged her to the druid.

"Don't you touch her!" Keith shouted, kicking and thrashing.

Pidge said nothing, her throat blocked by her heart. She tried to swallow as she stared up into the druid's hooded face. A gnarled hand extricated itself from wide sleeves and stretched out for her. Behind her, Keith swore loudly, fighting harder, but Pidge was frozen where she stood.

Bold, Keith had told her not even two minutes ago.

But she didn't feel bold. She was terrified.

That hand took her chin, long nails pinching her skin. She didn't dare flinch. Yellow eyes burst to life beneath that dark hood, staring, weighing, measuring…and finding nothing wanting.

The fingers let her go. "The other."

Pidge released the breath she didn't know she'd been holding and stumbled when the Galra grabbed her wrist and yanked her to the side.

The commander manhandled Keith, wrestling him to stand where Pidge had in front of the druid. Pidge knew Keith was looking at her, calling her name, but she couldn't react. She felt as if her very soul had been turned inside out. She was scraped raw and left scattered in pieces for the crows.

She absently watched as the druid gripped Keith's chin. She saw the flash of his yellow eyes.

And then Keith screeched and fell, his own eyes glowing yellow.

Keith was part Galra.

And now the Galra knew it.

Pidge could hear the druid smile as he said, "Commander, take the hybrid to Zenaka. I must contact Hagger about our newest addition."

"What of this one?" The soldier holding Pidge jerked her arm.

The hood head turned to her and was silent for a long second. "Zarkon may have use for it."

Keith still lay on the floor, curled tightly and whimpering. His yellow eyes flashed up to Pidge, the pain on his face explicit. "No," he moaned. "Pidge…"

Keith was about to be enrolled in Zarkon's army and he was worried about her?

To hell with that!

Pidge bit the hand that held her and wrenched free when her captor howled. "Keith!" she shouted, rushing the druid.

The cloak and hood vanished, only to reappear behind her. Pidge spun and ducked the bolt of purple-black energy he sent at her head. The commander stepped between them and backhanded her across the face, sending her to the floor.

"Filthy human," he spat, advancing.

"No." The druid slid forward, his cloak whispering along the cold stone. "Leave it to me. Take the hybrid. Now."

The commander and the soldier inclined their heads and grabbed Keith's arms.

"No!" Pidge reached out for him and was suddenly slammed into the floor. Purple energy rippled over her skin, puncturing, stabbing, and piercing every inch of her. It dug into her bones and into her brain and muscles. Her ears rang with an unholy sound she never wanted to hear again.

The attack cut off, leaving her gasping and weeping on the ground. A siren split the eerie quiet.

"Ah," the druid mused. "It appears the other paladins have come to rescue you. A pity they'll be too late."

Limp and helpless on unforgiving stone, Pidge glared at her enemy. She felt Green nearby, felt her Lion's rage and hatred pour into her, giving her the strength to slowly pick herself up, to roll to her knees, and to stand. The druid watched her, his shadowed face fathomless. "Yeah," she spat. "They would have wanted to see this."

She charged, dodged a purple bolt, slid past the druid and used the wall as leverage to leap onto his back. Her legs wrapped him tight around the waist, her hands finding his hood and yanking. He yelled and fell backwards, and Pidge barely rolled away in time. But then she was back, dodging yet another violet blast, and falling onto his chest, digging a knee into his throat and grabbing his wrists. He gagged beneath her, thrashing, but the harder he fought, the harder she dug her knee in.

A lucky bolt caught her temple, blistering the skin. With a shriek, Pidge tumbled sideways and when she looked up, she found herself staring at the hoodless druid. Clearly Galra, his skin was an ugly puce and hung off his face. His dull-lilac hair was wispy, his yellow eyes sunken.

He lifted slow hands and carefully drew his hood back up, once more hiding his face in shadow. "Nicely fought, Paladin," he cooed at her as he stood. "I think the arena would love to see something of your calibre. You are a bold one."

Pidge bared her teeth and lunged to her feet. A blast of purple shot her off her feet and the pain, the agony, make it stop. Someone make it stop!

It did. After a while.

Through her half-closed eyes, she saw the hem of his cloak draw near, saw the black boots peeking out. He crouched, cupping her chin and forcing her face upward. Yellow eyes glowed at her. "Yes. You might not last long but you'll give them a show at least."

Racing footsteps and nearing gunfire interrupted them, and the druid released her, standing. "Perhaps next time, Paladin," he said and then vanished without even a burst of smoke.

"Pidge! Pidge!" Arms fell around her, clutching her close to something warm and metal. "Pidge? Can you hear me?"

Pidge let her eyes slide shut. Everything hurt. She wanted it to stop hurting. A moan escaped her throat.

Large and strong arms gathered her up. Hunk? "Steady, Pidge. Take it easy. It's okay. You're going to be okay."

Pidge had the impression of being carried. The passing air ruffled her hair and soothed her blistered face. She was safe. Hunk had her.

Except…

"Keith," she rasped.

"We got him, we got him," Hunk assured her. "He's going to be okay. You're both going to be just fine."

"They know… Galra. Know Keith is…Galra. Tried to…take him."

"We know. Don't you worry, Pidge. We're not going to let them take him. Shiro and Lance are on their way with him right now. We're going to meet them at the Lions."

"Green," Pidge groaned.

Hunk pressed her head a little closer to his chest. "That's right. Green's here. She came with us. She was all for busting down the door but Black made her stand down. Shouldn't have," he added more quietly and a lot more angrily.

Pidge was about to respond when they rounded a corner and…

Green.

Her Lion purred at her, loud and anxious. The images and feelings dancing through Pidge's mind were close enough to words: _Paladin my Paladin safe now safe going home Green is here Green will protect my Paladin._

Hunk turned away from Green and carried her up into Yellow, strapping her into a pull-out cot in the cockpit that she hadn't known had been there – did all the Lions have one?

Hunk squeezed her hand and left. "Shiro, this is Hunk. I'm in Yellow and I've got Pidge. She's in rough shape. Looks like she went toe-to-toe with a druid. She needs a healing pod stat…I dunno, man. Green's still rumbling but she's not trying anything. I think she just wants to get Pidge out of here…Copy that. We'll wait for you.

"Hey, Pidge?" His voice was closer and Pidge peeled back an eyelid. He smiled at her, teary and strained though it was. "Hey. We're gonna be another few minutes but then we're gonna go, okay? Think you can hold on for that long?"

Tears pricked Pidge's eyes. "It hurts," she whispered.

Hunk dropped to his knees and took her hand gently, stroking her knuckles. "I know, I know. But we're gonna leave soon. We'll leave soon."

Pidge didn't nod – her body hurt too much – but she squeezed his hand as tears trickled down her temples. The salt burned in her blistered skin.

 _Safe safe safe is my Paladin Green is here Lions are here._ Pidge felt Green wrap around her, pulling her close to whatever equated to the Lion's heart. Gears whirred and clicked, a warm glow washed over her. _Sleep my Paladin Green will protect my Paladin's dreaming safe safe safe._

Pidge allowed her eyes to close.

-:-:-:-

When Hunk disembarked Yellow, Pidge limp in his arms, Allura and Coran were waiting for him at the hangar door. Gently, so gently, he handed her to Coran who took off in a sprint down the hall toward the cryo pod chamber. Hunk fell into step with Allura and followed, more subdued. They met Shiro, Keith, and Lance halfway there.

Keith was standing, barely, supported by Shiro's arm around his shoulders. Bruises bloomed on his pale skin, one eye swollen shut. He seemed to favour his left leg. At the sight of Hunk, he stumbled out from under Shiro's grip and almost fell into him. The taller boy managed to catch him and the quiet words that fell out of his mouth.

"Pidge. Hunk, is she okay? The druid… I heard her screaming. Is she okay?"

Hunk couldn't answer, looking to Allura instead who would know better than anyone.

Allura's chin shook and her eyes watered. "We don't know yet," she admitted. "If she was attacked by a druid, her chances are…slim."

In Hunk's arms, Keith was silent, even the tears that slowly trickled down his cheeks made no sound.

Hunk rearranged his grip so he wasn't half-holding Keith up. "Come on, buddy," he murmured. "Let's get you to a pod."

"It's fine," mumbled Keith. "I'm fine."

"Sure you are. But you're going to get one anyway. Come on."

Coran was prepping a second pod when they walked in. Pidge was in the one right next to it, ghostly pale and still. She had never looked smaller, and Hunk's heart squeezed.

"Coran," Shiro began.

The Altean smiled at them and said the words that brightened the entire universe and loosened Hunk's tight heart: "She'll be all right."

-:-:-:-

Green. Green was everywhere. There was nothing that was defined here, no leaves or grass or food goo, but Pidge knew it was all green.

 _My Paladin is awake Green missed you Green was worried._

Pidge smiled. _I missed you, too, girl._ She peeled open her eyes seconds before the transparent barrier went down. In those few seconds, she found Keith standing not even a metre away in front of her pod. His shoulders were slumped, his eyes downcast. Lines she'd never seen before dug trenches through his forehead and around his mouth, aging him twenty years.

Then the barrier disintegrated and Pidge took a cautionary step forward, but there was no pain in her body. She was whole and fine.

"Pidge."

She looked up at her name, up into black eyes that no longer burned yellow. She smiled wider and let herself be caught up in Keith's arms. "Hey, you," she said. "Is this going to be a regular thing?"

"Don't get used to it." Keith's attempt at brusqueness was ruined by the tremor in his voice and the wetness that fell on her head. "I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you're okay, too."

Keith didn't let go but Pidge didn't mind at all. She was happy to be here in Keith's hug, happy to be back in the Castle of Lions and among her family. In her mind, she heard Green purr with happiness and relief.

A breath of air in her hair startled her and she realised Keith was chuckling to himself. "Took on a druid with not even your bayard. You _are_ a bold one."

Pidge smiled and buried her nose deeper into Keith's shirt.

A sudden, wispy baritone whispered to her through the recesses of her brain: _I think the arena would love to see something of your calibre. You are a bold one._

Her smile faded, her gut twisted, but she didn't say anything. No, she would never tell anyone. For now, she forced herself to giggle along with Keith and hug him a little harder because she was safe – they were safe – and she knew no one on this ship would ever let her be taken to the Galra's arenas.

-:-

Thank you for reading, everyone! I'd love to hear from you so feel free to leave a review!


	4. Chapter 4: Strong Part I

**Guest:** Probably. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Cyndecho:** I do like Keith and Pidge as 'bros'. They can bond over how much they don't like people so much. :) Thank you for reviewing!

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 **Author's Note:** Special thanks to **Ultimix** for the prompt.

 _Chapter_ _4: Strong, Part I_

"All right, Paladins!" Coran called, getting their attention. "This next exercise is a classic! Line up, please. Come on! Line up."

Pidge darted over, squeezing to stand between Lance and Keith. Keith courteously sidestepped to allow her room but Lance propped his forearm on her head and leaned on her. She sucker-punched him in the kidney with a sharp "Get off, Lance!"

"Ow! Geez, kid, relax! You make a good post, that's all." Lance rubbed his side, pouting, and Pidge stuck her tongue out at him.

"Guys," Shiro warned from Keith's other side.

Coran clapped his hands together. He was certainly excited and Pidge instantly became wary. "Let's get started then! Now. Voltron, as you know, is made up of five key components: the head, the arms, and the legs. Each has its own role to fulfill but as paladins outside of your Lions, you must fulfill every role. You must make your own decisions, wield your weapons with accuracy, and trust and support each other. So. Here's the exercise. You each will take it in turns to support your fellow paladins' weight."

It was like everyone knew to look at Pidge. She flushed hard, looking straight at Coran and no one else. She knew she was small but she also knew she was strong for someone of her size. She could probably lift Keith, she might be able to lift Lance, she doubted she could lift Shiro, and there was no way in this wide universe that she would be able to lift Hunk.

It was Hunk who broke the silence. "I don't think this exercise is fair."

"Oh?" Coran twiddled his moustache. "And do you think Zarkon and his soldiers will be fair? Do you think they will always aim for your smaller comrades? Do you think they'll give them any leeway in regards to your safety? Because if you do, I'm sorry to say that you are sadly mistaken.

"Shiro, you'll go first. Begin!"

No one said a word of protest, and Shiro picked them up one by one. Pidge watched him use his legs, saw his muscles strain. He saved her for last, like she was a little treat at the end: a lightweight reward for all the heavy lifting.

Then it was Hunk.

Then it was Lance.

Then it was Keith.

Then it was her.

She picked up Keith and then Lance with considerable effort, holding them for several seconds before putting them back down. She managed – almost pulling something in the process – to pick Shiro up fireman-style but only for two seconds. Everything was hurting now, her back, her legs, her pride. She slowly walked over to Hunk and stood in front of him. Her head barely came up to his upper arm, not even reaching his shoulder. She was also a third of his weight. There was no way. There was no way.

Pidge didn't even try and she hung her head. "I'm sorry, Hunk. I'm just too small." It wasn't his fault – she made that abundantly clear. This one was on her. _She_ couldn't lift him. _She_ couldn't support her teammate. Her failure was not Hunk's fault.

Tears stung her eyes and without waiting for a dismissal from Shiro who was her leader or Coran who was the Support Commander of the ship, she left.

No one stopped her.

Several hours later found her tapping through facial recognitions for Matt and her dad. She could let the system do it for her but she wanted to do it by hand; it gave her brain an excuse to think of something other than what had happened on the training deck.

Also, Green was a comfort. _My Paladin's heart is big that is all that matters Green does not care how big or small in physical size my Paladin is._

Pidge leaned back against Green's massive paw, the warm metal soothing her muscles. "I just don't understand why Coran would ask this of us. He knows I'm short. Why can't he understand that I have limits?"

 _Support Commander is used to much different paladins,_ Green replied. _See?_

And Pidge did. Her mind's eye burst with an image of five…people. Okay, so they were aliens, but Pidge knew them for who they were: the former paladins. Their predecessors from ten thousand years ago.

Clad in the same armour, Pidge picked out the Green Paladin with ease, a tall, willowy creature with an extra set of arms and a very long neck. Actually, it – he? she? – was the tallest.

 _My former Paladin Charu'p_ Green whispered, longing and sadness in her tone. _And there are the other former paladins Yellow's former Krriea Blue's former Zafgho Red's former Jyx and Black's former…_

Zarkon.

There he stood, tall and muscular, between Charu'p and Jyx, his yellow eyes gentle as his arms draped over his teammates' shoulders.

It took Pidge a second to realise that Zarkon was the smallest in the group.

Pidge laughed outright. "Are you telling me that poor Coran has gone from the mighty Zarkon as the shortest paladin to _me_? I barely come up to that guy's _elbow_!" At least, she was pretty sure she only came up to his elbow. She'd never had the displeasure of actually meeting the evil overlord.

Green laughed with her, her tail sweeping across the floor. _Yes my Paladin Support Commander has trouble compensating traditional team-building exercises with my Paladin's small size._

Pidge smiled and rubbed Green's claw. "Thanks, girl," she said. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

It was clear when she walked into the dining room for supper that evening that she surprised everyone simply by turning up. Everyone from Allura to Keith stared at her as she trotted in and took her chair beside Hunk without hesitation.

Pidge smiled at the array of food (actual food and not goo) on platters and in bowls, and knew who to thank. "This looks great, Hunk," she complimented.

Hunk was startled for only a second before he grinned. "Thanks! I had to almost beat Coran off with a stick to get him out of the kitchen."

Pidge snickered and helped herself to the nearest platter, piling her plate high. "You know, I found some electrified rods in the armory last week. Those'd probably be more effective," she said.

Chuckles flitted around the table and Hunk grinned wider. Out of the corner of her eye, Pidge saw Hunk glance at Coran. "I'll look into that," he said with grim intentions.

The meal began, conversation dying as they all dug in. Pidge was feeding a piece of tuber to Platt when she said, off-hand, "Coran, Green showed me a funny thing today."

"Oh?" Pidge looked up through her lashes to see Coran exchange a glance with Allura. "What was that?"

"She showed me a picture of the paladins who were right before us. All five," she added mildly.

The very air thickened. Everyone knew Zarkon had been the former Black Paladin.

Pidge continued on, ignoring the intensity, "Were you aware that Zarkon was the smallest of those five paladins?"

Coran visibly swallowed. "Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I was."

It was Shiro who understood what Pidge was getting at. "Wait a minute, wait a minute. Let me get this straight." He leaned across the table and stared Coran in the eye. "You mean to tell me that that supporting-your-teammates exercise we did was only doable because Zarkon was the smallest? We're talking about the same Zarkon, right? The one that's taller than me by a head and built like a grizzly?"

"I'm not sure what a grizzly is," Coran said slowly, "but…yes?"

Shiro's eyes narrowed and he said sternly, "We are never doing that exercise again."

"It is a time-honoured, traditional exercise that is founded upon –" Coran started but Shiro overrode him.

"Who's big enough to actually do it?" The words were biting. "In case you haven't noticed, Coran, we're not exactly of equal physicality here."

"That's not the point, Shiro," Allura butted in, quiet but firm. "The point is to build support in each other, to be able to lean not only mentally but physically upon the others." Allura's eyes flicked to Pidge. "It is the responsibility of the paladin to be strong enough."

"Easy for you to say," Pidge replied, fighting to stay calm. "You can alter your physical appearance and capabilities at will."

"Yes, but _I_ am not a paladin."

To everyone's surprise, it was Lance who interrupted whatever Shiro or Allura was going to say. "And you are now officially done!" Lance stood up, bracing his fists on the table, his brown eyes snapping. "I appreciate what you're saying, Allura, Coran, but in case you haven't noticed, time-honoured traditions are pointless now. You're ten thousand years in the past and you need to get with the times here. You also need to understand that there are some things that we as humans just can't do. It's not within our physical scope. _It's not possible._ So why are you asking the impossible from us?"

Allura narrowed her eyes and Pidge shrank in her seat, grateful that that expression wasn't aimed at her. "You will never succeed in saving the universe with that attitude," Allura said through gritted teeth.

Surprisingly, Lance held ground and retorted, "No, princess. I fully believe that we'll save the universe. I have no doubt. But _you_ cannot ask _Pidge_ to lift someone who's _three times_ her own body weight!" His own eyes narrowed, his chin lifted, and he finished with, "I'd like to see you do it."

Allura blinked, derailed. "What?"

Lance straightened, crossing his arms over his chest. "You can shapeshift, so change into Pidge. Same height, same strength, same weight as her and then lift Hunk. Maybe then you'll get it."

Allura shot from her chair, standing so quickly that Pidge almost missed it. Pidge watched with wide eyes the ancient Altean and her foolhardy teammate stare each other down. No one spoke. No one moved.

Then, "Very well, Lance." Allura's tone was clipped. "I accept your challenge. Come here, Pidge. Hunk."

"But dinner," Pidge heard Hunk moan as he got to his feet.

"Blame Lance when this is over," she whispered to him.

"Or thank him," Hunk said just as quietly. "Maybe this will get them off your back."

Allura walked away from the table to a clear space just a few feet away. Pidge stood in front of her and let her take her shoulders. A weird tingle sang from her crown to her soles and when Pidge looked up, she found herself staring back.

Murmured comments rippled through the room, Lance giggling and Coran harrumphing.

"My goodness, Pidge, how do you stand this vantage point?"

Whatever Pidge had expected the princess to say, that was not it. But her humour was gone so she shrugged. "I'm used to it."

"Hm." Allura pursed her lips – it looked ridiculous on her face – and turned for Hunk. That was when she froze.

Pidge was close enough to see Allura's pupils shrink with horror, her eyes bugging wide. Her pale skin turned absolutely white and her entire body went rigid. Allura was afraid.

Allura knew.

She looked Hunk up and down only once before shaking her head. "I would do myself grave injury if I even attempted this," she said solemnly. "Unfamiliar though this form is, I know what it is capable of, and lifting you, Hunk, is not one of those things." In a blur, Allura shed Pidge's skin and crouched, taking Pidge's shoulders more kindly than before. "We'll work something out, Pidge. I promise you that. This won't happen again."

Pidge nodded. "Thank you, Allura."

"Ahem," Hunk coughed into his fist.

"Thank you, Lance."

"No problem, short-stop."

-:-:-:-

Pidge had to admit to herself that her new training regimen was challenging. While naturally fast, Allura and Coran drilled her to become agile. They worked her on her speed by timing her races around the training deck, her stamina by setting a goal of laps, and her ability to change direction by programming a course with obstacles that popped out of the floor and walls. They pitted her against the others and the only one who offered her any kind of difficulty was Shiro who was used to tactical fighting from his time in the Galra arenas.

To keep up her practice while not training, Pidge found herself tiptoeing through the halls, swift and silent. She instigated sneak attacks on her teammates, especially Lance, and she only counted them a victory if she evaded her victim long enough to tire him out or leave him in the dust. She also did a lot better against the training drones now, able to take them down within seconds. But she knew her weakness lay in her lack of physical strength. Speed and agility counted for nothing when her opponent had her pinned to the floor.

"Give up?" Lance asked, smirking at her as he leaned over her.

"Yeah. Yield," Pidge bit out.

Lance immediately backed off and offered her a hand up. "Good fight, Pidge."

Pidge took the hand but said nothing, rearranging the armour around her wrist to give herself something to do. She'd been turning an idea over in her head for a while now and with just the two of them on the training deck, she knew it was as good a chance as any.

"Hey, Lance?"

"Yeah?"

"So, um, I was wondering if you could…help me with something."

"Uh, what were you thinking of?" he asked warily. Pidge and her experiments were something to fear.

"Nothing dangerous," Pidge clarified instantly. "It's for training. I know I'm getting faster and all, and that's great, but I want to get stronger."

Lance cocked an eyebrow at her. "Why not ask Shiro?"

"Because he'll come up with some lame-o excuse to not let me. I get that he's our leader but the guy's kind of too protective."

"I hear you on that. Sure. All right. What did you have in mind?"

"That's just it. I don't know. I don't know what kind of exercises I need to do."

Lance stroked his chin, musing. "Well," he said, "push-ups are a great place to start. Come on. Drop and give me twenty."

"Now?" Pidge gaped.

"Yep."

So she dropped and gave him twenty – though the last eight were rather flimsy. "Now what?" she asked once she got back on her feet.

"Do that every day. Morning and night. Do twenty before breakfast and then twenty before you go to bed. I'm gonna see if I can find some Altean equivalent of dumbbells, and maybe find a bar so you can do chin-ups."

"Thanks, Lance," Pidge said, smiling. "And…can we, you know, not tell anyone? I don't want to freak anyone out."

"Sure, sure." Lance waved her off with a hand. "Our little secret, all that jazz. You got it."

-:-:-:-

Lance was true to his word and said absolutely nothing to anyone about Pidge's secret training, and Pidge was grateful. The first week or two were brutal, her arms and back protesting despite hot baths after her workouts, but she pushed through and got used to it. She did her twenty push-ups morning and night for the first three days, and then Lance added another five. She went up by five every three days, and while they couldn't manage to find dumbbells, Lance had located a chin-up bar he installed himself (he was very handy, if he did say so himself which he did, often) in Pidge's closet doorway. Pidge didn't notice much of a change in that first month but she thought maybe Lance winced harder when she punched him for his short jokes or for leaning on her. Or maybe he was humouring her. It was kind of hard to tell.

The team was just exiting the training deck for lunch when the alarm interrupted their chatter, and Allura's voice rang over the intercom: _"All paladins to your Lions! We have an urgent distress call! It's coming from a moon not far from here!"_

Shiro took immediate action. "Go!" he shouted. "Comm me when you're at your Lions."

Pidge raced down the hallway for Green's hangar, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She was on the zip-line when she felt Green rumble with anticipation, and then she was sliding into the cockpit and taking the controls.

"Green Team is ready to go."

 _"Copy that, Pidge,"_ Shiro answered.

 _"Yellow Team is standing by,"_ said Hunk. _"You want us to do a bit of recon, Shiro?"_

 _"Actually…that's a good idea. But be careful. I don't want us to get duped again."_

Again. Pidge shivered at the memory of facing that druid because of them having been duped. "All right, we'll meet you moon-side," she said. "You ready, girl?"

Green flexed, claws digging into the hard floor, and launched herself from the hangar bay. Green thrummed. _It is good to work good to help good to fly with Lions and my Paladin._

"I hear ya, Green. Let's go see what all the hubbub is about, huh? Hunk, where are you?"

 _"On your seven. I got your back."_

Descending towards the moon, she would have been blind to not see the deep holes that penetrated the moon's surface, some close to a kilometer across. Pidge activated her cloaking while Hunk stayed on the edge of a massive complex. Flying low over one such hole, she spotted tiny figures moving carts of rock and dirt up from below while other figures (distinctive, purple ones) looked on with ready whips and rods that glowed blue at the end.

All this technology and the Galra used slaves for mining? Pidge's lip curled, her hands tightening on the control sticks. It was like the Balmera all over again.

 _Easy my Paladin._

"It's a mining operation," she said into the comms. "The Galra are using slaves to mine some kind of resource."

 _"Paladins, be warned!"_ Allura's voice was tense. _"The moon is a prime resource for qoolti, special ores that are highly explosive when they react with ion blasters. You can't take your Lions in or you'll destroy the whole moon."_

An explosion off the starboard side in one of the smaller holes alerted Pidge to trouble and she could make a decent inference of what it was. "Looks like the slaves got tired of their overlords and didn't want to wait for us," she said as those locals she could see dropped their loads and attacked the Galra with shovels and picks.

 _"Copy that, Pidge,"_ said Shiro. _"There's a clearing not far from your present location. Lance, Keith and I will land there. You and Hunk hide your Lions where you can_ _and we'll meet you on the south side of that complex."_

Pidge looked away when a Galra soldier gunned down three slaves. "We need to hurry or there will be no one left to help."

-:-:-:-

Pidge reminded herself to thank Coran and Allura when she saw them next. The trip through the woods was long and winding as they stayed on a foot trail – a couple kilometers in a straight line, maybe, but they didn't dare bushwhack – but she easily kept pace with Hunk, her bayard at the ready and her eyes scanning for purple figures amongst the trees.

They heard the booms of smaller explosions before they heard the screams that accompanied them. Now that she was closer, she could see that the slaves were all of different species and were running in all directions for the woods. Several (not as many as they had thought would be here) Galra soldiers chased them down, their blasters striking anything and anyone. Miniature explosions burst from the ground as missed shots hit the ores in the dirt.

Pidge and Hunk had been waiting for only a few minutes when Shiro, Lance and Keith arrived. While Hunk explained the situation in fuller detail, Pidge gripped her bayard harder and turned her eyes on the complex. Completely made of metal, all of the buildings bore Galra writing which Pidge understood: Housing, Mess Hall, Stocks, and…Security.

"Shiro," she said, pointing.

Shiro looked and then nodded to her. "Do what you do best, Pidge," he said. "Hunk, go with her and watch her back."

"You got it!"

"Allura? We're going to need the castle to transport the slaves. This moon is not these guys' home. Land as close to the mines as you can and open the bays. Lance, clear the other buildings and send them to the castle. Keith and I will take care of the Galra."

There weren't many, after all, barely fifty that they could see – at least outside.

Hunk tugged her elbow. "Let's go blow stuff up!" he said with a grin.

"Make sure the buildings are clear first!" Shiro hissed after them.

"Geez, Shiro," Pidge smirked. "Tell us how to do our jobs, why don't you?"

Pidge and Hunk made it into the Security block without trouble, and Pidge located the nearest computer console. Hacking in, she pulled up the complex's schematics while Hunk guarded the door, his bayard blaster humming. "Hey, Lance? You there?"

 _"Always here, Pidgey. What do you got for me?"_

"I got you three hundred slaves in the Housing block with about fifty Galra soldiers and another fifty drones. The other three hundred are outside. They rotate shifts so the qoolti is constantly being mined. No staff or slaves are currently in the Mess or Stocks, and everything in Security is automated."

 _"A hundred Galra?"_ Lance echoed. _"Think you can even the odds for me a bit?"_

Pidge cracked her knuckles, "You know I can," and she started typing, her fingers flying across the Galra-coded keys.

A second later, an alarm went off and Pidge hacked into the main intercom that would reach every complex on the moon. Smiling, she thought, _Bless the Galra and their love of Incident Command Systems_. The automated voice relayed every word Pidge typed: _"Attention! Attention! This is not a drill. The Voltron Paladins have breached the perimeter in Sector 4-A. All Galra to your transports. Abandon the moon. Repeat, abandon the moon."_

Shiro was suddenly yelling in her ear. _"You just told the Galra we're here?! Pidge!"_

"Yeah. I did. And I just gave you back-up, too!"

 _"What back-up?"_ Keith demanded but then he stopped short, and Pidge knew he just realised what she'd done.

The slaves were turning around. Armed with shovels, picks and their bare hands (and in some cases, their teeth), they attacked the Galra with vengeance.

 _"Pidge, you're brilliant!"_ exclaimed Lance. _"They're even going after the drones!"_

"You're welcome!"

 _"Paladins!"_ Allura cried, her voice crackling through the comms. _"You have fighters inbound!"_

 _"Lance, Hunk, Pidge, get out of there now!"_ yelled Shiro.

Pidge's fingers flew, checking numbers and Lance's location. "The buildings aren't clear yet! Hunk, go help Lance!"

"I'm not leaving you behind!" her teammate retorted.

Pidge brought up the outside's security feed and blinked at the Galra ships currently flying toward them.

Something beeped wildly just as Pidge's eyes widened at the sight of those spiky, purple ships taking aim. "Duck and cover!" she screamed.

And then the world exploded.

-:-

Please review. I'd love to hear what you think.


	5. Chapter 5: Strong Part II

**Wintertide:** You're about to find out! :) Thank you for reviewing!

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 **FanladyGreen2012:** I'm a sucker for cliffhangers - ask anyone who's commented on my TMNT fics; it's a disease, really. Thank you for reviewing!

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 **Cielmatica:** Thank you! I had to google what OOC meant because I've never encountered the acronym but I'm pleased that you don't think the guys are OOC. I try to keep my characters in, well, character in any fic I write. I will definitely take that suggestion and run with it, and I thank you for it. But first, this chapter.

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 **Author's Note:** Thank you to all who have favourited and followed. You're all wonderful, and I appreciate you!

 _Chapter 5: Strong, Part II_

The first thing Pidge became aware of was the awful ringing in her ears. The next thing was that she had to be alive because there was no way the afterlife (or whatever came after death) could be this annoying and painful. Forcing her eyes open, she blinked against the dust still filtering through the air.

"Shiro?" she called. "Lance, Keith, Allura? Does anyone copy?"

There was no answer, not even static. Had the blast shorted-out her com-link? Possible.

She made to call for Hunk but she coughed, harsh and long. She sat up to alleviate the pressure, and the ringing in her ears gradually faded, as did her coughs.

When she got her breath back, she looked around. The room was destroyed, half the ceiling having introduced itself to the floor, and the back wall was missing. "Hunk?" she called. "Hunk, where are you?"

Pidge's heart froze over when he didn't reply.

"Hunk, talk to me! Where are you? Hunk!" She forced herself to move and crawled out from under the computer console that had protected her from a cracked skull.

She used the console to haul herself to her feet and that was when she saw him. Pinned beneath part of the collapsed doorway. Eyes closed.

"Hunk!" She scrambled over to him, tripping over chunks of metal and concrete, and fell to her knees beside him. She took his face in her hands, tapping his cheeks. "Hunk? Hunk, can you hear me?"

He didn't even twitch.

Pulling off his helmet, she laid an ear to his mouth and almost burst into tears when she heard him breathing.

"Okay, Hunk. Okay. You keep breathing, okay? I'll…I'll figure something out."

She took up his helmet and tried to get a response from the team on his comms but no luck. No one answered. She was alone.

She had to get Hunk out of here before soldiers or drones or ships found them

 _One step at a time, Pidge. One step at a time. First things first. Get him unstuck._

The beam wasn't as heavy as she had feared but she made sure that as she pushed it off that it didn't land on anything important like his arm or his leg. It fell to the floor with a muffled bang, and Pidge checked his breathing again.

No change was good but he still wasn't waking up.

Pidge bit back tears as she looked around for something, someone, anything to help. With the back wall gone, she could see the trees from here. If she could somehow get Hunk out of the building, maybe she could get him back to Yellow? She didn't dare wait. There was no telling what would come after them – teammates or enemies. Plus, she really hated the look of the compromised ceiling. If the rest of it came down… She didn't want to think about it.

Pidge couldn't carry Hunk. Pidge knew with every fibre of her being that she couldn't carry him.

But maybe she could drag him?

Taking out her bayard, she examined it for a long moment before she activated the grappling hook. She didn't need to test the cord to know that it was strong enough to handle whatever she needed it to. This would do. It would have to do.

Pidge cleared a trail from the blocked doorway to the missing wall, kicking and pushing debris out of the way. Then she returned to Hunk, her bayard ready. She pulled out several lengths of the glowing, green cord and wrapped it over Hunk's chest and beneath his arms, then criss-crossed the cord behind his back and back under the arms again. Attaching the hook to the bayard, she slung it across her chest and over her right shoulder, grateful for the armour that would keep the connectors from digging into or pinching her skin.

She gave both their helmets another try on the com-link but there was still nothing. She slid his helmet back on his head, clipped his bayard to his belt, and stood.

"All right, buddy," she whispered, looking over her shoulder at her unconscious friend. "I can't carry you but I'm going to drag your butt out of here. Just you watch me."

Hunk made no reply, didn't move, and Pidge nodded, her face falling into stern determination. "Let's go then."

Her feet dug into the floor, the cord pulled tight, Pidge bent nearly double, and Hunk slid forward.

Yes!

Four inches down, two kilometers to go.

Pidge ground her teeth. "Watch me," she hissed and she put one foot in front of the other.

She dragged Hunk out of the security building and out into sunshine and war. Blasters and shouts echoed through the air, mercifully not close to where they were. The sounds came from the mine, and she hoped with all her heart that Shiro, Keith and the slaves were doing okay against the Galra. The compound was clear. All she had to do was go.

She went. Flinching at every blaster shot, she trudged across the open ground between the ruins and the trees. When she reached the cool shade, she heard engines and spotted the Castle of Lions come swooping low…and land over in the direction where Shiro, Lance and Keith had stowed their Lions.

Great.

Pidge made herself turn her back on the castle and walk into the trees. Just like on their way in, she had to follow the trail; otherwise, she risked getting stuck in the brush which she could not afford. She stayed low and kept moving, not daring to stop, though her chest heaved and her muscles screamed.

She suddenly wished for the Olkari crown she'd received a while back. With all these trees to choose from, having an extra weapon on hand would prove useful. Not having one could prove fatal.

"When we get back to…the castle," Pidge huffed out loud, "I'm going to turn that…tiara into a…bracelet or something. Crowns won't work with…the helmet but maybe a bracelet…would. What do you think…Hunk? Wanna help me make some…jewellery? Lance will get a kick…out of that. Any bets on…when he'll stop laughing…about me embracing my…feminine side?"

No answer.

Pidge grunted. "I'd give it a…month but that might be…generous. He does know how…to milk a joke for…all it's worth…and more."

The two kilometers felt like a thousand. Pidge's legs shook, her back and shoulders ached, and her head swam. She almost fainted with relief when she spied yellow and green metal glinting through the foliage.

Entering the clearing, Green's voice surged in Pidge's mind but Pidge was far too tired to hear the words. The images and feelings were enough to get an idea of what she said, though: Shiro, Keith and Lance flashed behind her eyes; Hunk's still body attached to her like a sleigh and she a horse; worry underlay it all, sharp and insistent.

Pidge hummed a sound of agreement – she was worried, too, after all – and bee-lined for Yellow who sat in her particle barrier. Hunk would be safe in Yellow. That was the safest place for him. It was when she stood outside the barrier that she realised she wouldn't be able to get in. Or at least, she felt she wouldn't be able to get in. Yellow wasn't as temperamental as Red but that didn't mean that she would drop her barrier and her ramp for anyone.

Could she even drag him up the ramp? The entire trek had been more or less level. She couldn't even think about trying to climb an incline while hauling three times her body weight behind her.

Pidge looked back at Hunk and felt tears prick her eyes. She was too tired to cross the clearing to Green, too tired to go any farther. She sat down hard, taking Hunk's head in her lap. Her trembling fingers set his helmet aside and carded through his bloodied hair – had it always been bloody? Why hadn't she noticed before?

She wadded the long bandana against the wound on the back of his head, distantly hoping that Allura either had some Altean laundry detergent to get the blood out or extra orange material lying around.

"I guess now we wait," she whispered, her breaths ragged. "Just hang on, Hunk. You hang on, okay?"

There was no reply but she didn't expect one. At least he was still breathing.

She closed her eyes and let herself drift. Somewhere in her consciousness, she knew Green was keeping her awake somehow. They were still in the middle of enemy territory and so it would be a bad idea to fall asleep here and now.

This proved true when a small flock of Galra ships streaked overhead and then banked to make another pass, doubtlessly having spotted the Lions. Pidge's heart raced, all tiredness forgotten as adrenaline pumped through her veins. Her bayard was still wrapped around Hunk – not that it would have made any difference against three fighters.

Green stirred and, feeling through their connection, Pidge knew Yellow did, too. Their particle barriers were still up but Pidge sensed massive shoulders tightening, tails twitching, and claws flexing. She clutched Hunk a bit closer, protecting what she could of him with her small body.

 _Green's paladin has done much today._ Pidge knew within the second that it was Yellow whose soft voice rippled through her and Green's bond. _Our turn._

The Galra fired but the first shots struck the barriers and were completely ineffective.

Behind Pidge, Yellow's barrier fell and she lunged to all fours with a growl, taking a stance. Green lumbered across the clearing, her tail sweeping back and forth.

 _Mine!_ she roared down the bond, and the wordless sound echoed off the trees, sending birds into squawking flight. _My Paladin my charge my pilot mine!_

Yellow half-lunged, her paws landing on either side of Pidge and Hunk, her head snaking forward to snap her jaws at the Galra who were too high to be hurt. _Ours!_ she shouted.

Despite the Lions moving on their own, the Galra veered, coming around again, and Green took careful aim. She snarled and shot while Yellow did the same. All three exploded into shrapnel.

Yellow snorted but didn't back off from her stance. Green purred at her fellow Lion before turning to Pidge. Sliding beneath the much bigger Lion, she lay on her belly, curling around the two humans, and rumbled at her. Pidge leaned against her paw. "Thank you," she whispered, her eyes sliding shut.

Green chuckled, gentle and indulgent. _Lions will protect our Paladins Yellow is right my Paladin has done much today._

Pidge wiggled against the warm metal, finding a more comfortable spot, and continued to finger-comb Hunk's hair.

She had no idea how much time went by while she sat there amongst the Lions, but then Yellow and Green both thrummed with relief and stepped away. Pidge blinked in the sudden light, only to find someone falling to his knees beside her, removing her helmet and taking her face in wide, gloved palms.

Pidge smiled and wilted into those hands. "Shiro," she rasped.

"I'm here. I'm here. It's okay, Pidge. You're okay."

She frowned at that. "Hunk isn't. He won't wake up."

There was a tug across her chest and Pidge blinked up at Keith who lifted her bayard off her. Lance was here, too, unwinding Hunk carefully. Everyone was here.

"Pidge." Shiro's voice was cool and collected. "Did you drag Hunk all the way out here?"

He didn't sound impressed or approving. "I couldn't wait," Pidge answered, turning her head away. "The comms were down in both our helmets. I didn't know where anyone was and I couldn't leave him there – the ceiling…"

"Pidge."

Pidge realised she was rambling and nodded. "Yeah. I dragged him." And then she thought of something, and horror plunged into her gut. "I didn't check his spine! I didn't even think to check him! Shiro, what if I –"

"Easy. Easy, Pidge. It's okay. Listen to me, Hunk is going to be okay. All right? We're going to get you both back to the castle and into healing pods."

"I'm not hurt, just tired," Pidge protested.

"Shiro?" Lance was for once solemn and quiet as he spoke. "I called Blue. She'll be here soon. She'll get us to the castle faster."

As soon as he said it, Blue came flying low over the trees and landed. Green purred at her teammate in greeting.

"All right," said Shiro. "Pidge, can you fly?"

Her vision was greying with exhaustion but, nevertheless, she nodded. Besides, she could let Green drive. Keith helped her up while Shiro and Lance supported Hunk between them and carried him to Blue.

"You're shaking," the Red Paladin observed.

"Nothing a nap won't fix," she replied. When he didn't go away, she added, "I can walk on my own, you know."

"I know." His expression was bland, per usual. "Shiro and Lance have Hunk well in hand and Yellow will follow us back since we have her pilot. There's nothing I can do over there so you're stuck with me."

Pidge scowled and stumbled away towards Green. "Don't need a babysitter," she growled.

"No, you definitely do not," Keith agreed.

-:-:-:-

When Pidge exited Green's hangar with Keith at her side, she blinked at the mass of bodies in the halls.

Oh, right. The slaves.

She didn't protest when Keith took her elbow and guided her through the melee to the cryo pod chamber, only to find each pod occupied.

At least Hunk was in one.

Several aliens sat in groups on the steps, bandaging each other and in some cases themselves. Coran, Shiro and Lance flitted from group to group with drinks, food, blankets, and medication. The floor was sticky and slick in some places with different-coloured blood, and Pidge's stomach roiled. She clung to Keith to stay upright and he shifted her so he could hold her around the shoulders.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I didn't realise it would be this messy."

"S'fine," she replied. "We can go elsewhere."

"You need a pod, Pidge."

"They need them more. I'll be fine." She made to turn but was stopped by a very tall alien in possession of two pairs of bright pink eyes in a yellowish-brown face. "Uh, hi," she said, trying to sound chipper.

The four eyes blinked out of sync, first one pair and then the other. "Greetings." The alien bowed to her, placing one of its four hands (bearing three very long fingers) on what she assumed was its heart. Straightening, it – he? she? – was taller than Shiro but much slimmer, almost willowy. The creature was a downright beanpole with long arms, long legs, long body and long neck. Pidge frowned. She had seen this physique somewhere.

In a distant corner of her brain, Green perked up.

"Can I help you?" Keith asked, purposefully interjecting himself as the one who could offer assistance.

"No, I thank you, Red Paladin." The alien's voice was thick with some kind of accent so that his words came out calculatingly slowly. "Forgive this lowly one for intruding. I recognised the Green Paladin by the armour and wished to speak a few words." Here, he (probably, maybe he) bowed again. "It is an honour to see my ancestor's armour again. You do his memory proud, Paladin."

Pidge's mind exploded with Green's picture from a month ago, and her entire soul lifted as Green's did at the sight of Charu'p's descendant.

"Thank you," Pidge replied politely, inclining her head. "The Green Lion remembers Charu'p fondly."

The alien's pink eyes narrowed to slits, and Pidge smiled in response to the bizarre smile. "May I be so bold as to ask Paladin to sit with this lowly one?"

Before Pidge could reply, Keith interjected again. "You should lie down, Pidge."

"Bed can wait for a few minutes," she answered coolly. Her curiosity niggled her, urging her to interact with her predecessor's culture. She nodded to the alien. "I'll follow you."

Leaving Keith, she felt him hesitate before following her, a stiff shadow at her back.

Charu'p's descendant led her to a trio of his species. One appeared very old, with deep wrinkles in an intrinsic pattern around the bald head, while the other two were smooth-skulled like her guide; all wore the purple-grey rags of Galra slaves. As she neared, all three rose, one of the younger assisting the elder, and bowed with their hands over their hearts.

"Honoured Bearer of the Green Paladin's armour," the elder murmured. "We of the Chrii (pronounced Ch-ree) are humbled by your presence."

"Please," Pidge said, blushing fiercely at the formality. "Let's just sit. I don't know your names," she added.

Her guide blinked a single pair of eyes and said, "I am Cheychi. My sister, Shola, my brother, Churei, and my grandmother, Shurr." He pointed to each in turn and Pidge nodded to them.

Shurr shuffled forward and took her gloved hands with two of hers. She turned them over once, twice, and then peered into her face, bending almost in half to do so. "Such a little one," she mused, pink eyes roving over her. "The Green Lion chose well. Come, sit with us."

Pidge let Shurr sit her down on the steps, glancing up at Keith. "I'll be okay," she said. "I can't be of much help anyway."

Keith frowned at the dismissal yet obeyed after a moment's hesitation.

"The Red Paladin is watchful," Shola observed, her gaze following him as he crossed the room to Shiro.

"He just worries," Pidge explained. "He and everyone else."

Shurr had yet to release her hands. "I am certain they mean no harm in their worry," she said sagely.

Pidge smiled. "They don't."

"Forgive me for asking, Paladin," Cheychi began.

"Pidge," she said.

"I'm sorry?"

"My name is Pidge. You can call me Pidge."

"Oh. Pidge, then. I am curious why you are so low on energy. Are you well?"

"Just tired." Though for some reason, the weariness in her muscles and bones was declining.

Shurr squeezed her hands. "For someone so little, you certainly do big things."

Why did Pidge have the feeling that Shurr knew exactly what had happened in the complex? Maybe it was a Chrii trick? She tried to shrug it off. "I just helped out a teammate."

"You mean _that_ teammate." The top pair of eyes flicked to Hunk's cryo pod and back. "I may be old, Paladin Pidge, but that only means that I am experienced. Your body has undergone intense strain."

"I've had worse," Pidge mumbled, remembering the druid's attacks that had left her physically incapacitated. Hunk had carried her to safety then.

The hands around her tightened a fraction and looking up into Shurr's face, Pidge was astonished to see the yellow-grey skin pale. Understanding hit Pidge like a lightning bolt and she snatched her hands out of Shurr's grip. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't realise you were…"

"The word among my people is gifted," Shurr said quietly, looking down at Pidge's hands, clutching together by her stomach. "I possess only a fraction of telepathic ability. The major gifts can skip several generations. For me, I must maintain physical contact. My great-aunt could read memories from over a hundred brreep away. I am sorry that I startled you, Paladin Pidge." She bowed where she sat.

"It's fine, it's fine," Pidge stammered, feeling the twelve other eyes of the other Chrii.

"What you must also know is that I am also a talented healer but, again, I must maintain physical contact." Shurr held out two of her long hands, the other pair clasped in her lap. "Please, Paladin Pidge. Let us repay you and your teammates by restoring your strength to you."

Pidge glanced over at Cheychi, her brows high. "Is this what you meant by speaking words?" she asked lightly.

Cheychi's eyes narrowed, smiling. "The Green Paladin is renowned for its intelligent nature," he countered.

"Sneaky Chrii."

The comment made all four laugh, and Pidge settled her hands back in Shurr's. "Thank you," Pidge said.

Shurr's own eyes narrowed and her voice was even kinder as she said, "It is our honour and pleasure to assist a Voltron Paladin."

Pidge smiled and readjusted her position on the floor to sit more comfortably; it looked like she would be here for a while. "Where's home for you?"

"Chriishosha, our home world, no longer exists," Churei said quietly, solemnly. "Zarkon took it from us many generations ago"

"I'm sorry," Pidge began but Shurr waved one of her unoccupied hands.

"We may have lost our planet but our people thrive on Japra, a planet not too far from here," she said. "We have made ourselves a new home and we are happy."

"Tell me?" Pidge asked timidly.

Shola snickered, her eyes crinkling. "She is the Green Lion's," she said with mirth. Scooting closer, she glanced at Shurr who nodded. "Japra is the jewel of this system, filled with lush forests and glistening lakes and waterfalls. We Chrii make our home in the trees there, giant, sweeping things that stand as tall as this castle."

Pidge heard Green listening closely, her Lion thrumming with the beauty of such a place.

Shola went on animatedly, her brothers adding details. Shurr continued to hold her hands, and Pidge felt her exhaustion drain away.

-:-:-:-

Over the next several hours, the Castle of Lions liberated every other mine (only four) on the moon. It had been nothing short of a surprise to learn that the Galra had taken Pidge's warning for what it was and had abandoned the mines and the slaves. The rescued had waited patiently for the Voltron Paladins to arrive and guide them into the castle. Unlike the first mine's slaves, the others had sustained no injuries worse than whip lashes which Coran fixed up easily with an Altean poultice. The Paladins (including Pidge, her health restored) and the Alteans stayed busy, assisting in the med bay, seeing to sleeping arrangements, and piloting the castle for the moon's planet named Ghoko which, apparently, was home to close to two thirds of the fifteen hundred rescued aliens.

For Pidge, it all passed in a blur. Ghoko came and went, and then they landed on Japra where she bade farewell to the Chrii. Pidge promised to visit, and then they were off again. Bouncing from planet to moon to planet, the remaining aliens disembarked with gratitude and promises to send Galra raiding parties running. Pidge absently wondered how Shiro and Allura were so diplomatic the whole time while she fought to keep her eyes open. Shurr's healing had warded off the strain and swelling in her muscles but now, in the silence of the castle, Pidge almost crawled back to the cryo chamber and lay down on the steps by Hunk's pod.

Coran had said he'd be okay, that it was just a matter of time, so Pidge waited. She slept while she waited but she felt like she kind of deserved it. She fell asleep within seconds and was so deeply under that she didn't notice someone gently scoop her up and take her to her own room.

-:-:-:-

When Hunk woke up in a pod, he was more than a little confused by one or two things. He had no idea what had happened nor any idea how he'd gotten back to the castle, but his team was there, waiting for him and smiling…

No.

Someone was missing.

As the pod's barrier disintegrated, Hunk reached for the person closest to him which turned out to be Lance. Lance stepped to his side and took some of his weight off his shaky legs just as Hunk said, "Where is she? Where is Pidge?"

The smiles softened, and Lance patted him. "It's okay, buddy. She's fine."

Lance would never lie to him about something – someone – so important, so Hunk accepted it as truth. "Where is she?" he asked again.

"In her room, sound asleep," answered Keith.

"Come on," Shiro said. "Let's get some food in you and you can ask us more questions."

But Hunk shook his head. "I need to see Pidge."

"Buddy, she's sleeping," Lance reminded him gently. "You don't want to disturb her, do you?"

Hunk hesitated and Shiro sidestepped to him, wrapping an arm over his shoulders. "Come on," he said. "You can check on Pidge if that will ease your mind but then you're getting food."

Hunk nodded, his belly growling, and followed everyone out.

The deeper into the castle they went, the stronger Hunk felt, and eventually Lance and Shiro dropped their supportive arms.

"So what happened?" he asked, turning his head to his leader.

"From what Pidge told us, she dragged you out of the complex and back to your Lion."

Hunk stopped and Keith almost walked into him. "She what?" Hunk spluttered. "She _what_?"

"She used her grappling hook to harness you to her and she dragged you out of danger to the only safe spot that was close enough," Lance explained.

"But our Lions were at least a couple kilometers from the complex!"

"Yeah," Keith said from behind. "We know."

Hunk stood still for a moment, staring at nothing. Pidge had… Pidge had…

"Is she okay?" He lifted his eyes to Shiro. The strain on her body…

"She's fine. She's sleeping" was the kind reply.

"But she got into a pod, right?"

"All the pods were full," Allura said gently. "The slaves attacked the Galra with nothing but the tools in their hands. Some were gravely injured."

Hunk opened his mouth to argue but then he closed it again because he knew Allura was right, and despite the fact that Pidge wasn't a people-lover like him or Lance, Hunk also knew that Pidge wouldn't put herself before others who needed help.

"Hunk?" Lance ventured, peering into his face. "You okay, man?"

"It should have been the other way around," he admitted aloud. "I should have helped her. That's how it's supposed to be."

To his surprise, Allura curled a hand over his shoulder. "It is as it should be," she said, her tone soft and wise. "Despite her limitations, Pidge did what any of you would have done. She supported you and got you out of danger. She was strong enough to do that. Don't devalue her courage and strength because you were helpless, Hunk. That is not the paladin way." She patted him, smiling. "It seems that we were wrong about the – what did you call it, Lance? – the physical scope of humans. Pidge is plenty stronger than I thought."

Strong, Hunk knew, did not mean invincible. With great strain came great pain – the Garrison drill sergeants had taught them that. He forced one foot in front of the other and continued down the hall, at last arriving at Pidge's door.

"Can I have a minute?" he asked no one in particular.

"Sure."

"Of course."

"You got it, buddy."

The five put a few feet of distance between them, and Hunk turned for the door. It opened at his handprint on the scanner, hydraulics hissing quietly, and he stepped inside.

 _Just check on her,_ he told himself. _Take whatever revenge she dishes out 'cause I'm in here without permission, but just check on her. Shiro said she was fine, anyway. I'm just making sure._

He approached the bed as quietly as he knew how, his feet making no noise on the floor. He was surprised by the lack of everything underfoot; a trail of clean floor from doorway to bed was unheard of when Pidge preferred to have everything she was working on out in the open. Nevertheless, he was grateful and he looked down on the blanket-covered form…

That rolled over and peered up at him with whiskey-coloured eyes.

"Hunk!" Pidge leaped from the bed and threw her arms around his neck. "You're okay!"

Hunk caught her and was so careful when he hugged her. "Thanks to you. It's all thanks to you."

"Green and Yellow helped when the fighters came," she said, "and Lance called Blue so we could get you back to the castle."

"Yeah, but none of them dragged my sorry butt out of a bombed building and through dense forest," he pointed out. He set her down and had to wipe his face on his sleeve.

"Hunk, what's the matter?" She stared up at him, her brow low and her mouth downturned. She was just so, dang small.

"Nothing. It's fine." He sniffed and hugged her again. "Thanks for getting me out, Pidge. I know it wasn't easy."

Pidge smiled into his chest and said, "You know me, Hunk. I'm stronger than I look."

It was then that Hunk caught sight of the bar that stretched across the doorway of Pidge's closet, and he looked toward the hallway where Lance, Shiro, Keith, Coran and Allura were grinning at them. Lance's grin was more conspiratorial than usual. "That you are, Pidge," Hunk chose to say. "That you are."

-:-

I'd love to hear from you so feel free to leave a review.


	6. Chapter 6: Bold - Keith

**Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Haha! You're more than welcome. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Thank you so much. I really do enjoy their relationships, too, and it's always interesting to delve deeper.

 **Sparklesona:** I will continue writing, you have my word. Thank you for reviewing!

 **FanladyGreen2012:** Thank you! I've read so many fics where the Lions communicate but everyone does them differently: full, complete sentences (with punctuation); pet-names; the pilot's actual name; feelings; etc. I just took out the punctuation for them. Let me know if it's confusing because goodness knows that I sometimes get confused when I'm reading the Lions' dialogue.

 **Anonymous:** (In response to your review of Chapter 3) Please read Chapter 6 in answer to your question. I knew what had happened to Keith during the time he and Pidge got separated but I do enjoy wading into different perspectives, and Keith is just such a complex guy. Thank you for reviewing!

 **I ship it:** Aww, that's so sweet! Thank you! I must warn you now, though, that my fics won't contain romance. I don't write it well and I can't stomach it on a good day. But Keith and Pidge are a wonderful duo, I agree.

 **The ThirdPhiladelphiaVireo:** Chapter 3 is my favourite, too. :) Thank you so much!

 **JackieStarSister:** Thank you! Also, thank you for your critique. It means the world to me. I'll definitely keep watch on my narration style.

 **Author's Note:** For **Anonymous** who asked so politely. I enjoy getting into Keith's head. :) **Warning! This chapter is rated T for violence.**

 _Chapter 6: Bonus Scene: Bold – Keith_

Through the stabbing pain in his skull, Keith heard the druid speak: "Commander, take the hybrid to Zenaka. I must contact Haggar about our newest addition."

"What of this one?" the underling Galra demanded. He was the one who held Pidge.

"Zarkon may have use for it."

Zarkon… Pidge would be taken to Zarkon. Tortured, mutilated and maybe thrown into the Galra arena like Shiro had been. Little Pidge. Bright and curious, daring and bold Pidge.

Keith forced his eyes open, to look up at her. "No," he managed to say. "Pidge…"

He was looking at her so he saw her terrified face rise to hell-bent determination. He saw her bite – bite! – her captor's unarmoured hand. He released her with a howl and she ran for him, calling his name.

Keith couldn't react when the druid disappeared in a swish of cloak, reappearing behind Pidge. Purple and black lightning sizzled to life in that gnarled hand, and Keith tried, he tried so hard to call out to her.

Pidge ducked the bolt but suddenly found herself blocked by the commander. He backhanded her so hard that she went sprawling. "Filthy human," he spat, taking a step toward her.

No, no, no! Pidge!

"No." Someone else voiced his thoughts but he didn't care because it was the druid that neared his friend. "Leave it to me. Take the hybrid. Now."

In a distant corner of Keith's brain, he was outraged that the druid kept referring to Pidge as 'it', but he couldn't find the strength to say so, nor could he find the strength to fight back when the two Galra grabbed his arms and hauled him to his feet.

As they marched him past, he saw Pidge reach out for him with a resounding "No!"

Then all resolution shattered. All boldness, all strength, all hope snuffed out like a candle in a windstorm as purple lightning struck Pidge squarely and Pidge screamed. The sound of it froze everything inside him: his heart, his lungs, his brain. His entire body filled with the unholy sound that should never be voiced by anyone, let alone a fourteen-year-old girl.

The Galra forced him out the door and through another door at the end of the hall. Keith could no longer see Pidge but he heard her. And then the sound cut off when they passed through a door.

 _She's fourteen. She's only fourteen. She's just a kid. Stop. Stop hurting her._

Half-dragged and half-marched down yet another hall, Keith heard his guards chuckle.

"I guess Zarkon won't be getting that paladin," the commander quipped.

Something thawed him, something hot and fierce and ferocious. Keith smiled. Red. Red was here. Which meant the others were on their way, too.

He found the strength.

Keith said nothing – it was not his way; give the enemy no warning – as he turned on the two Galra. They were Galra, stronger and faster, not to mention armed, but Keith wielded fire in his heart and he would not fail.

He twisted, yanking his left arm out of the commander's grip, and nailed the subordinate in the throat with a closed fist. He felt _everything_ in that neck collapse beneath his knuckles, and the Galra gasped and spluttered, stumbling away and trying to hang onto the wall as he wilted into death throes that would pull him to the floor in the next few seconds.

Keith didn't waste those seconds. He spun and threw a rapid series of punches and kicks. The commander was more prepared and blocked furiously. Somewhere above their heads, an alarm blared, red light spilling like blood through the hallway. Despite Keith's attacks, he found the Galra was gaining the upper hand, forcing him farther back and away from Pidge.

 _Pidge. Green's paladin._ The two names reverberated in his soul, and he felt for the first time, a twinge of deepest grief from Red who had witnessed Zarkon's betrayal and the resultant murders of the other paladins. It was like having her heart ripped out, watching her sisters scream with the death that took their pilots but would never take them. Red had promised to never endure another heartbreak. She would fight, fight for her pilot, for her sisters, and for her sisters' hearts.

Keith roared, echoing Red's heat and rage, and failed to see the kick that sent a pulsing pain searing up his left leg.

 _My Paladin!_ Red's denial shrieked in Keith's mind as he crumpled to the floor.

The Galra bent over Keith and gripped his collar, hauling him into the air. A fist caught his eye then split his cheek then bloodied his mouth. "Disgusting," he snarled.

Keith scrabbled at the hand, barely able to kick out with the pain ripping through his head from the blows and Red roaring.

The Galra brought him closer, their faces inches apart. Yellow eyes blazed at him, fangs bared at him. "Galra you may be, you are still a part of that pathetic species, and the Empire has no use for weak and pathetic soldiers."

Keith tried to turn away from the teeth that drew steadily closer. He felt the hot breath on his skin, felt his pulse hammer in his throat like some morbid countdown.

And then a blaster shot echoed through the hall, and Keith tumbled to the ground, landing on his bad leg. He scrambled to his hands and knees to fight for his life and found it unnecessary. The commander lay sprawled, a hole the size of a Canadian toonie through one side of his head. It was still smoking. Keith turned his head in the other direction and the first thing he fixed on was a white-and-blue blaster that was still aimed and ready. Then it lowered, revealing Lance's face which was filled with nothing but rage.

Then the rage fell to concern and he hurried forward, talking into his comms. "Shiro, I got him. I got Keith." He knelt beside Keith, one hand still on his activated bayard. The other hand hovered uncertainly near his shoulder. "Keith? Hey, man, are you okay?"

"Pidge," Keith gasped out.

"We haven't found her yet. Are _you_ okay? Shiro's gonna be here soon. We'll get you out, all right?"

"Lance." Keith reached out for him, gripping his forearm hard, not that it mattered because Lance wore his paladin armour. "There's a druid. He has Pidge. She was screaming, Lance!"

Lance's dark face paled, his eyes widening. "Be warned, guys," he said into the com-link. "We've got a druid onboard. Keith says he has Pidge."

Keith was close enough to hear the growling death threats on the other end, and smiled despite himself. If Shiro or even Hunk got his hands on the druid, he would bet that fingers around his throat would be the last thing the guy would ever feel.

"Let's get you up." Lance supported Keith carefully and he barely managed to stay upright, but he managed. "Come on. Let's go home."

Home sounded great.

Keith just hoped that Pidge was all right.

-:-:-:-

Pidge was not all right.

She would be, that was what Coran had said, but she wasn't right now.

Keith had spent barely an hour in a healing pod, most of his wounds superficial, save for the deep muscle bruise in his left calf.

Pidge had spent the rest of yesterday and all night in the pod and it was now approaching lunchtime. Keith couldn't bring himself to eat and he was grateful that everyone seemed to understand that. He was grateful that they had kept vigil with him last night in the cryo pod chamber. He was grateful that they hadn't pried him for details, already aware that the Galra now knew he shared the enemy's bloodline. He was grateful when they left him for lunch; he needed time to…think. It was a dangerous pastime for him, he knew, but it was still warranted.

Keith thought about a lot of things as he stood statue-still in front of the occupied pod. He thought about home and the team, his place in it, and what it meant to be a defender of the Universe (he still wasn't sure about that last one). He thought about the Kerberos mission reports and getting expelled from the Garrison. He thought about finding Shiro again and meeting three new…friends. It was funny because he had never really had friends before. He'd only ever had Shiro, who was more of a brother than anything. He thought about Hunk who was so tender-hearted it almost hurt to imagine him in a war. He thought about Lance who never stopped bickering with him but always came through when it counted – this last experience included. He thought about Allura and Coran who were so strong despite their bitter losses. And he thought about Pidge who sympathised with Keith's anti-social behaviour, who was fourteen years old and smarter than he could ever dream of, and who had faced down a druid to help him.

It wasn't his fault – he knew this – but it still hurt to look at the little girl who had suffered for his sake.

A quiet chime alerted him to the pod's barrier falling, and then Pidge was stepping out carefully, her eyes on her feet and her hands gripping the pod's frame.

"Pidge."

Her head snapped up, her gaze meeting his, and he couldn't help but hug her because he needed to hold onto her.

"Hey, you," she greeted him, her arms winding around his waist. "Is this going to be a regular thing?"

"Don't get used to it." Keith tried to sound gruff but it was ruined by his relief and tears. "I'm glad you're okay," he added more solemnly.

"I'm glad you're okay, too," she said.

It seemed that Pidge didn't really mind him hugging her or maybe she knew he needed this. Either way, he appreciated it, appreciated her, and he laughed a little. "Took on a druid with not even your bayard. You _are_ a bold one."

Pidge stiffened a fraction and Keith's heart froze – what had he said? – but then she smiled and giggled with him, tightening her grip a little more. It was nice, and Keith felt Red purr in his mind. Green's paladin was safe and all was well.

-:-

Please review. I'd love to hear from you.


	7. Chapter 7: Challenge

**thebooknerdgeek:** Thank you! I love Pidge's bond with everyone, to be honest. I enjoy making her the baby sister. :)

 **Em:** Oh my gosh! You recommended me? Thank you! That's so wonderful! Holy cow, I'm blushing! I'm glad you and they all love it. :D

 **Guest:** Thank you!

 **Anonymous:** You're welcome! I, too, wanted more Keith pain (a few kicks in the stomach and ribs is always a great place to start) but I didn't have a conducive timeline. Maybe next time? :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Graham Crackers Are Awesome:** I explain my reasoning for a non-romantic Pidge story in the Author's Note at the bottom of this chapter, but, yes, thank you. Thank you very much. :)

 **TheThirdPhiladelphiaVireo:** Thank you!

 **Guest:** Yay for little sister Pidge! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Thank you! I love Keith and Pidge's relationship, too. It's like Keith didn't want a little sister (and doesn't like people in general) but look, there's a sister right there and, yay, she doesn't like people much either! Thank you for reviewing!

 **GottaLoveNaLu:** Thank you! And I agree whole-heartedly. :)

 **22velvetspoons:** Now I want to do the same chapter over again but for Hunk! Unfortunately, I'm going to leave the druid incident alone for a while. Don't worry, though, Pidge will be carried in many chapters to come. (I'm a sucker for that kind of angst, too.) Thank you for reviewing!

 **CocoMint:** I concur on every point you made. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** You're more than welcome, and thank you!

 **Sparklesona:** Thank you!

 **KittyCatKate** : (In response to your review of Chapter 3) I thank you nonetheless for taking time out of binge-reading to review. It's a mark in my favour that I'm doing well enough that you would stop for a few seconds and leave a review. I appreciate it. :)

 **DaisyTheKitten:** Thank you for reviewing!

 **kosmokitty:** I'm sorry for almost making you cry. :/ That's my bad. Thank you! I'm doing my best to keep the characters from running OOC, so it's good to know I'm doing not so badly. :)

 **GUEST:** Stupid school, indeed! Don't worry about not reviewing earlier. Goodness knows that life and all things in it get in the way. :) Pertaining to your other romance comment, please see the Author's Note at the bottom of this chapter. It explains a few things. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **pyrokinetic maniac:** Aw, thank you! That's so kind of you to say!

 **playswithworms:** Thank you! As a barely-five-foot-tall person (I'm very proud of that quarter inch!), I, too, empathize with the short community and thus Pidge. I won't share that one time in Gym class when I was sixteen and we were doing the jive unit and they needed demonstrators for that sweep-the-girl-through-the-guy's-legs move. THAT guy was a Hunk-sized guy. HUGE! I digress: I wish you luck with your First Aid course!

 **ChemicalX:** (Do I detect a Powerpuff Girls reference?) Thank you so much! I will, for sure, continue!

 _Chapter 7: Challenge_

The Green Lion's hangar was dark save for one small spot in the corner farthest from the door. Surrounded by lamps, Pidge stood with a minute luminance in her hand: the Olkari circlet glowed steadily, a gem no bigger than her thumbnail set in a wooden ring. Pidge closed her eyes and pressed her other hand to a piece of scrap metal.

Nothing happened.

"Come on," she encouraged, peeking open an eye to glance at the circlet. "You worked before."

But nothing happened. The scrap metal stayed scrap.

"It's because your nanocellulose isn't reacting with my neurological electrical impulses, isn't it?" Pidge said to the circlet. "That's probably it. You're not getting brain power because you're sitting in my hand." She sighed, a harsh exhale through the nose, and set the ring on her head.

"Let's try this again." Once more laying her hand flat to the metal sheet, she closed her eyes, and the scrap twisted itself, grinding and squealing, into a star puzzle.

"Yeah. Not enough brain power when you're not close enough to my brain." Pidge picked up the star puzzle and plucked the circlet from her head. Setting both on her desk, she threw herself into her chair.

Pushing off with a foot to set the chair turning, she glanced up at the Green Lion who loomed over her. "What am I going to do, Green?" she asked.

 _You should take a break my Paladin_ , Green answered. _Black and Yellow tell me that their paladins are in the meal preparation hall my Paladin should join them for camaraderie and nourishment purposes._

"I don't want to take a break." Pidge crossed her arms over her chest and completed the rotation. She glared at the Olkari crown, feeling Green's high-and-mightiness. "Fine," she growled.

Green rumbled a purr, the piece of smug machinery. _Green will see my Paladin later perhaps after nourishment and appropriate bonding my Paladin will come up with a solution._

"Yeah, yeah. We'll see. Later, Green." Pidge stalked out the door after snatching the star puzzle from her desk.

-:-:-:-

"Hey, Pidgey! Where'd you get the toy?"

Pidge hauled herself up onto the counter opposite of where Shiro was rolling out some kind of dough; Hunk was carefully setting dough into pie plates and adding what looked like the equivalent of alien shepherd's pie filling. Lance leaned against the fridge (not actually a refrigerator but 'cold box' just sounded lame) and watched. Her quick fingers took apart the puzzle, setting the pieces around her. "I made it," she replied, glaring over her glasses at Lance.

"How? Did you bend it with your bare hands?" Lance smirked.

"I did it with my brain," she retorted and dropped her gaze to her hands. Her puzzle had six pieces and she was already on the third.

"Working with that Olkari crown again?" Shiro asked, ruining Lance's jaw-drop.

"That old thing?" scoffed Lance.

"If I recall correctly, only Pidge was able to use the crown, so I wouldn't make fun if I were you." Shiro flicked his eyes up once and then resumed rolling.

Lance obediently shut up. Would that Pidge could get him to do that. She finished the puzzle and sighed, tossing it into the air. She really needed a challenge.

She had one already, though. Bloody circlet.

"Pidge?"

"What?" Pidge almost dropped the puzzle. "Sorry. What?"

Shiro smiled at her. "I said, any luck with the Olkari tech?"

"No." She thought about leaving it at that but then she went on. "It needs to physically be on my head to work but I can't have it there because the helmet pinches it and I don't want to break the gem."

"Why are you so worked up about this?" Far from mocking, Lance was actually curious. "You have your bayard. Why do you need another weapon?"

Pidge took off her glasses and rubbed the spot between her eyes. Setting them back on her nose, she said, "Because the last time I had to use my bayard in the field, I couldn't use it as a weapon and I had nothing else on hand to use to defend myself and I was in the middle of a quiznaking _war-zone_!"

Silence fell, and Pidge mentally kicked herself when she spotted Hunk's hands freeze in adding a cover to a pie. It had been only a couple of weeks since their escapade on Ghoko's moon, freeing all those slaves. Pidge still had nightmares about it, dreaming that Galra squads had caught them, or that an errant blaster shot had struck the explosive ores in the nearby ground and blew both her and Hunk to bits. She dreamed that the ceiling had collapsed before she could drag Hunk out of the building. She dreamed that Hunk hadn't been breathing when she had gotten to him…

Hunk spoke softly but clearly, breaking her reverie. "I think it's a good idea," he said, continuing to work. "I mean, Keith has his Galra knife. Having extra weapons on hand would be useful if we can't access our bayards or they're already in use for something else."

Lance's expression turned thoughtful and he nodded. "Well, the castle has an armoury," he began.

But Pidge jutted out her bottom lip and crossed her arms over her chest. "I want to use the Olkari technology. It's unlike anything Allura or Coran might have on board. It works with every known material from stone to metal to wood. Also, if I can have even a small advantage over Galra opponents, I'm going to take it."

"No one's saying you shouldn't, Pidge," Shiro said kindly.

Lance turned to her. "So what is it that you're trying to do?"

"I'm trying to get the Olkari gem to work in a way that doesn't conflict with my gear," she explained. "The problem is that it has to sit on my head – it needs the electrical impulses in my brain to work – so I can't make a bracelet like I'd originally intended, and I don't dare make a necklace because, I mean, that's just asking someone to strangle me, besides the fact that it wouldn't work anyway!"

"Why don't you make one of those little bands like Allura has?" Lance suggested.

"Okay, one: Allura is royalty so that 'little band' is actually a symbol of her status and not just for decoration, plus she uses it to channel her own Altean power; two: would you take me seriously _at all_ if I had a glowing gem the size of my thumbnail in the middle of my forehead?"

"She makes a valid point," Shiro said, struggling not to chuckle. He obediently sobered when Pidge shot him a look, though his face was still filled with humour.

"Have you taken apart the wooden frame yet?" asked Hunk.

"Not just yet," she admitted. "I was busy trying to figure out if I could make it work at all when it wasn't on my head."

Hunk nodded. "After I'm done here, do you mind if I come take a look?"

Hunk was offering help? Well, he was an engineer. "Sure! Thanks, man!" Pidge said brightly.

"Good, and since you're both here..." He trailed off meaningfully, waggling his eyebrows.

Pidge beat Lance to the door, and Shiro caught Lance by the back of his collar. His other hand held the rolling pin and therefore was too full to grab Pidge. "See you guys later!" she called over her shoulder as she sprinted down the hall.

"Pint-sized traitor!" Lance shouted after her.

Pidge responded with a laugh that sounded maniacal even to her ears, and disappeared around the corner.

-:-:-:-

True to his word, Hunk arrived at Green's hangar an hour later. Pidge was tapping at her keyboard when he walked in. "All right!" he said without preamble. "What've you got?"

Pidge slapped her laptop closed and rolled her chair over to another section of her desk. Snatching up the Olkari ring, she tossed it to him. "Nothing, actually."

Hunk caught it and turned it over. It was to his genuine amazement that it was still intact; Pidge liked to take things apart. Then again, she had said that she hadn't removed the gem.

Already his brain cogs were spinning. "First things first. Let's get this gem out. I don't know about you but I don't think the crown has to be made out of inch-thick wood."

The work was delicate and painfully slow-going. Pidge had to take over halfway through because her fingers were steadier (not to mention smaller), but Hunk stayed close, peering over her shoulder with keen eyes. Hammer and chisel chipped away splinters of wood to ensure everything within remained intact.

By the time Lance came down to tell them Hunk's pies were done, they had successfully laid bare the glowing structure.

Pidge wanted to stay but at Hunk's persistence (and Green's), she followed her teammates out.

Dinner was an event itself. Apparently, neither Allura nor Coran had ever had anything that resembled a pie.

"We had juniberry pastries but this is astounding!" Coran gushed. "And look at all the vegetables in here! This must be so healthy!"

Pidge watched Lance and Hunk share a glance over their plates, and quietly snickered. She knew that, though the ingredients were alien, Hunk had still managed to pull off his grandma's gravy recipe which was by no means the healthiest thing ever contrived. Lance had even met the woman and could attest that nothing would ever come close to Grandma Garrett's Gravy.

Even Allura was blushing with pleasure as she ate, chewed and swallowed. "This is an extraordinary array of flavours, Hunk," she said with feeling.

"So, Pidge," said Shiro after several moments of happy eating. "How's the Olkari ring coming?"

"What's this?" Coran asked. He leaned around Keith to look at Pidge.

Pidge shrugged. "It's fine, I guess. Hunk and I got it out of the wood but now we're at a standstill."

"Pidge wants to keep the Olkari tech on her person so if she needs an additional weapon, she can get one," Shiro explained to the Alteans. "But it needs to sit on the head and so it interferes with her gear."

Pidge nodded and twirled her fork through gravy and baked dough. She let her friends talk for her, her mind accelerating away from the food and towards the challenge back in Green's hangar.

Her hair fell into her face and she brushed it back with a hand. Her hair was getting longer, she knew, but she hadn't done too much about it. Come to think of it, she didn't do much of anything with it. She wondered if Allura had an elastic or some pins or something…

"Hey! Castle of Lions to Pidge. Come in, Pidge!"

Pidge blinked and looked up. "Sorry. I was thinking."

Shiro smiled at her. "When don't you think?" he asked.

"You were playing with your hair," Lance interrupted. "I don't think I've ever seen you do that."

"I always play with my…" Pidge trailed off because, no, that was no longer true. She _had_ played with her hair. When it had fallen down her back, she had played with it all the time, during dinner, doing homework, hacking, creating code. She had stopped only when she'd cut it. But now, the longer, errant strands fell into her eyes again. Sweeping them away, she tucked them behind her ear. She suddenly wished for a headband – she had always worn them when her hair had been…

Wait a second…

"Oh my gosh! That's it! That's it!" She thrusted her chair back.

"What's it?" Everyone stared at her but Pidge barely noticed because she was already dashing for the door. "Pidge!"

Pidge raced down the halls and back to Green's hangar.

 _My Paladin? Is my Paladin all right?_ Green asked as she burst through the door.

"I'm great! I'm a freaking genius! Now where is all that – aha!" Pidge found the box of scraps she'd been hording earlier: a couple of Altean batteries; a tiny crystal from the balmera; a cracked, miniature holopad; several paperclips; two halves of two separate circuit boards; and several lengths of alien jumper cables and wires.

Yanking the wire out, Pidge scrambled about her desk for the wire cutters and eventually found them in a pile of tools on the floor. _I really need to organise,_ she thought to herself as she grabbed the Olkari gem, plopped herself, cross-legged, on the floor and got to work.

Squeaking alerted her to the mice. The biggest one, Platt, twitched his nose as he dropped down onto her shoulder to peer at her work.

"What do you think?" Pidge proudly held up the wire ring that now secured the gem.

Platt and the others chirruped in appreciation.

"I don't suppose you'd know where to find some cloth? The wire will get stuck in my hair," she explained.

Platt leaped back up onto the desk where he and his friends conversed in quiet squeaks and chirrs. Turning back to Pidge, all four nodded and scampered away. Pidge spent the next few minutes making adjustments to the ring, ensuring it would fit over hair and head.

A squeak brought her head up, and the mice handed over a length of green cloth – it matched her armour perfectly.

"Where do you get this stuff?" Pidge asked with a smile. "It's like you've got a secret stash of colour-coordinated everything. Thanks," she added.

She had a needle and white thread in her backpack (Mom had insisted she have some kind of a basic sewing kit when she'd gone to Garrison). Funnily enough, it was Matt who was the better of them two at sewing. It was probably because he had always been ripping his clothes from getting beaten up and stuff; he had taught himself to mend his things so Mom never found out. When Pidge had gotten into high school at the tender age of ten, Matt had taught her, too, when she got tossed around that one time. Pidge smiled the memory as her needle wove through the cloth around the wire. The bullies had learned to stay away from her early on because when Matt had taught her to sew, she had nicked the needle and tucked it into her sleeve. She had then stabbed the next twelfth grader who had grabbed her. No one had touched her after that. She still got to learn how to sew from her big brother, though. It had been nice.

Tears burned in Pidge's eyes and she wiped them away briskly. Moping would not help anything, she knew. She would get Matt back and her dad. She would get them both, and this would definitely help.

Tying off the knot, she snipped the loose thread and took a moment to admire her handiwork. The Olkari gem and wire ring were completely enclosed in the soft-green material, though there was a gentle glow from the gem that shone through the cloth. It looked like a regular, old headband.

Now for the final test.

Setting it on her head, she pulled her hair out from under the headband so the gem lay at the base of her skull. The band fit snugly yet the gem didn't dig into her skin. She could feel it rest comfortable at the top of her spine. So far so good. Turning for a sheet of metal propped against her desk, Pidge laid her hand to it, closed her eyes, and…

Squeal, crunch, grind.

 _My Paladin, you did it!_ Green triumphed.

Pidge's eyes snapped open at the array of throwing stars on the floor. She smiled. Perfect.

Now to show the others.

-:-:-:-

Pidge, with the mice on her shoulders, found everyone in one of the commons, amiably chatting or otherwise lounging on the sunken couches.

Hunk, talking to Lance, noticed her walk in. "Hey, Pidge! I was about to check on you. You ran off so fast, I didn't want to interrupt your thought process."

"It's all good, Hunk. I appreciate it," she answered. The mice scrambled off her to join Allura who sat between Shiro and Coran.

"Nice headband, Pidgey!" Lance said. "What's the occasion?"

"Your butt-whooping," Pidge retorted, sparking snickers from everyone, even Keith. "Seriously, though, guys. Check this out."

Pulling out several small squares of sheet metal (the stars flattened out), she closed her eyes. She relished the light twinge in her brain as the gem pulled her command out into her hand and into the metal there.

Squeal, crunch, grind.

Gasps. Exclamations.

"Holy cow!"

"How did you do that?"

"What happened to the Olkari gem?"

Pidge opened her eyes and smiled at the throwing stars on her palm first before grinning up at the others. "The gem's right here." Putting the stars in a pocket and turning, she lifted her hair and showed them the gem's steady glow at the base of her skull.

Heavy footsteps sounded behind her, large fingers took her hair and examined the gem enshrouded in cloth. "Incredible," Hunk breathed. "This is incredible! Pidge, you are eternally armed and dangerous!"

"Watch out, Lance," Keith quipped, prompting chuckles.

Pidge stepped away from Hunk and faced the group. "Actually, it was Lance who gave me the idea. I hadn't realised I'd started playing with my hair again until he pointed it out. I used to do it all the time when it was longer."

"You're welcome!" Lance said with a smirk that might have been tinged with fear.

Pidge smiled at him, thinking about all the nicknames and teasing that would soon stop. Eternally armed and dangerous. She liked the sound of that.

-:-

 **Author's Note:** Hi, everyone! First off, thanks to all who read, review, favourite, and follow! You make my day, you truly do! Second, I feel like I have to explain the slight change in the Summary because of recent comments (none bad so don't go tearing off). Now, I have absolutely no issue with ships: Shallura, Kidge, Klance, do what you will. However, I posted 'NO ROMANCE' because of two things: one, I stink at writing romance; and two, I like friendship a whole lot more. I'd much rather delve into the complexities that are friendship than write a slow-burn or something. It's just who I am as a person and as a writer. I'm telling you this now as clarification so as not to disappoint you further down the road because you were expecting a ship to evolve into something more than what I have planned. Again, I have no issue with any ships. If you do post a ship name, I'll simply chalk it up to friendship and carry on. Paraphrasing the great Scarlett Johansson: There's no time for romance. We've got stuff to defend!

Thank you for understanding. :)

On another note: Please review. Reviews make my soul happy.


	8. Chapter 8: Reaction

**Sparklesona:** Thank you so much! I agree and am surprised that the show doesn't expound on Pidge's (and Hunk's) creativity. Thank you again!

 **Leo-TheHunter:** Aw, thank you, m'dear! :)

 **ShadowFox197:** Oh my gosh! Thank you! This next chapter is for you, by the way. For your Shiro fix. ;)

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you!

 **Guest:** Thank you!

 **Graham Crackers Are Awesome:** Thank you for understanding. :) This fic will probably stay relatively canon-esque. I've always been bad at speculating events of not-yet-aired seasons so I don't think I will. And thanks. I like Pidge with a headband, too. :)

 **Eeveecat1248:** Well...that's not exactly what happens in this chapter, but it probably will in future ones. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **GUEST:** You are more than welcome. I was worried about the confusion and concern from readers so I plunked that AN at the bottom. Here's your update, and thank you!

 **FanladyGreen2012:** More or less, yes. Sorry for confusing you. Imagine a wire ring enclosed in cloth. That's pretty much Pidge's headband. I figured to make the wire connect because it's a circuit for alien energy and circuits need to be complete in order to work. Again, sorry for the confusion. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Thank you! I like everybody working together, too. I'm glad I could be of service. :)

 **YeeeeeeeaaaBuddy:** Yay for incorporating in-canon stuff! Aha! Thank you. I was wondering about the tech, and I figured to just have Pidge come up with something so that she was wearing it all the time. It'll come in handy in future chapters (*cough* this one).

 **rainbowrider1290:** (In response to your reviews of Chapters 4-7) Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! You are so kind to take time out of reading to leave one for each (and Chapter 4 was a cliffhanger so that's double the incentive to keep reading and not review, so my double thanks). Thank you for commenting on my style and character depictions. I try to do them justice. :) The Lions are fun to write, and they'll certainly get some character development as the fic wears on. I love the family dynamic, too. Thank you again!

 **Anonymous:** I'm not sure what a character study is, but if you mean will I have more Pidge with Keith? Then probably, yes. Eventually. :)

 **Anonymous:** Thank you so much! I, too, am very visual when I read and write. It plays out like a movie in my head which is awesome. I do love me my friendship dynamics and stuff. :) Definitely more so than romance. Don't worry about it. I understood what you meant. :)

 **Author's Note:** Dedicated to **Cielmatica** who suggested the idea, and to **ShadowFox197** who wanted some Shiro fluff. Enjoy!

 _Chapter 8: Reaction_

The planet was called Vyrk and, according to Allura, homed some of the most beautiful flora in the quadrant. It was spring here. Gold-leaved trees stood a hundred feet tall, buds promising blossoms; the foliage on the ground was an exquisite array of reds, blues, and greens; and flowers ranging from fingernail-sized to the size of hands unfurled, pearly white, in sunny spots. The natural food resources were extensive: tubers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables; Vyrk was a supply paradise.

"The locals have their farms just over that ridge," Allura said, pointing. "We should be able to get our supplies, as well as some new allies against the fight against Zarkon, there."

Pidge wasn't really listening because Pidge was dying.

She sneezed again, violently, and garnered more looks of mixed humour and exasperation from her team – not that she could see their faces clearly from the tears in her eyes but she thought they looked humoured and exasperated.

"Seriously, Pidge, you're the Guardian Spirit of the Forest!" Lance exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"Yeah," Pidge wheezed back. "And –" sniff – "I have – " sniff, sniff – "aller- ATCHOO! allergies."

Beside her, Coran was peering at her with uncontained curiosity and excitement. "Incredible!" he gushed, a bio scanner in his hands. "Parts of your immune system are attaching themselves to the trigger spores and then binding to what look like receptors on very specific cells of your own body. Oh, look! They're producing copious amounts of some kind of chemical!"

"S'called histabine," said Pidge, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "And it sucks."

Allura's dark face was blurry as she bent down to stare Pidge in the face. "Maybe you should sit down?"

"I'b fine."

"Clearly," Allura deadpanned. "This mission is purely exploratory, Pidge. You don't have to be here."

"Wanna help…" Pidge trailed off as a sneeze pinched in her nose and she let loose again. This time was a series of two sets of four massive sneezes in a row. By the time she was done, she was gasping and clutching at Allura to stay standing. Absently, she thought of how much she hated those people who mastered the quiet sneeze. Her sneezes sounded like train horns.

"Whoa, kiddo." Shiro was at her side in an instant, prying her grip on the princess's forearms loose. "Let's just go back to the castle. Come on. Let's go."

"Take her to the med bay," Coran suggested. "The pods are unlikely to help with these, um, allergies, but Number Five should lie down."

Pidge could hardly see through her streaming eyes and she sniffed again, allowing Shiro to turn her around.

"Sure thing, Coran. Comm me if you run into trouble."

There was a fuzzy chorus of "Sure" and "You got it", and then Pidge was trudging away, Shiro's guiding arm around her shoulders.

"So stupid," she grumbled, sniffing some more.

"You're not wrong," Shiro said.

Sniff. "When ab I ever wrong? ATCHOO!" Sniff.

She thought Shiro smiled but she couldn't really tell. Her head hurt.

"Maybe you should be the Guardian Spirit of Drainage?"

"Shuddup, Shiro."

He just laughed, and even though she was dripping with mucus, and her diaphragm ached, and everything above her chin was pounding, Pidge couldn't fault him for the joke. It was such a rare sight to see Shiro smile without care. Too bad she could barely see.

They hadn't gone too far from the castle but far enough that Pidge couldn't hear Green. She could hear her now as they approached the front door.

 _My Paladin, what's wrong? Is my Paladin ill? What has happened? What's the matter?_

 _Ugh, Green, stop shouting,_ Pidge begged _. I'm fine. Just allergies. M'gonna take a nap in the med bay, 'kay? I'm fine, promise._

Her Lion's voice was softer and apologetic when she said, _Very well my Paladin. Green will trust my Paladin's word._

 _Thanks, Green._

"You know," Shiro said thoughtfully as he guided her through the halls, "I have an idea if you're willing to let me try it out."

Pidge was not so tired that she used the same hand to wipe her nose as the one to wipe her eyes – bad, bad idea! She cocked a bleary eye at him. "Does this bean no nap?"

"For a bit at least. We need to make distilled water: boil water and cool it."

Pidge blinked, trying to think. "You wannna do that tea-pot thing, don't you?"

Shiro smiled at her. "Right in one, even doped up on histamine."

"It's an _anti_ -histabine I want. I would kill sobeone for a Benadryl."

"Well, let's not go that far. Here. Park yourself on the couch, and I'll boil the water." Shiro pushed her gently in the direction of the sunken couches in a common not too far from the kitchen.

Sniff, sniff. "Okay." Pidge curled up on the cushions, her head propped on an arm. "Thanks, Shiro," she mumbled, her eyes fluttering closed.

Warm fingers wrapped around her shoulder. "I'll wake you when the water's ready."

Pidge hummed and was asleep within the minute, stuffed-up and dribbling though she was.

-:-:-:-

Shiro kept an eye on the boiling pot, grateful that Alteans had similar cooking appliances as humans did. Hunk baked cookies with the oven-like apparatus, so boiling water wasn't difficult. The timer he had set beeped, and he took the pot off the heater to let it cool. It would be several minutes before Pidge could dump it through her nose which meant he had plenty of time to find the Altean equivalent of salt.

A sudden sound behind him made Shiro whip around, his right hand glowing.

"Lance?"

Lance stood in the doorway, his clothes rumpled and one side of his face swelling. "H-hey, Shiro," he said, trying to smile.

Shiro deactivated his hand in an instant, striding towards his teammate. "What happened? Are you okay? Where are the others?"

"They're fine." There was something off in Lance's voice and Shiro stopped where he was, still some feet from the doorway. He examined Lance carefully, his years at the Garrison and his year of imprisonment sending warning bells into a clamour. Something was very, very wrong.

And then Lance flicked his eyes to the right, to something not visible from where Shiro stood.

Shiro's eyes widened. Someone had gotten the drop on the team. Someone had forced Lance to return to the castle – for him? Shiro? What about Pidge?

"How-how's Pidge? She still sick?" Lance's eyes begged him to not give away the lie.

Shiro forced his tone to be smooth, forced a smile on his face, and replied, "Yeah, and all the pods have gone wonky so she's going to have to ride it out. It might be a few days," he added.

"That sucks."

"Yeah." Shiro stepped closer, carefully. "You okay? Did you trip again?"

Lance huffed a laugh, strained and edgy. "Yeah. You know me. I trip over flat floors. I had no chance in that forest."

Another step. "Did you meet up with the locals?"

Another eye-flick to the side. "Uh, yeah."

Shiro narrowed his eyes. The locals. The Vyrkese. No doubt they had the rest of the team – the rest of his friends. He motioned Lance with his left hand as he activated his right hand.

Lance leaped into the kitchen. Shiro pushed past him, rounding the corner, pinned a broad chest with his human arm, and brought his glowing hand up to the throat of a Vyrkese. First and foremost to note about the species was the colouring: a pattern of red, blue, and green, Shiro knew the alien would have no trouble blending into the forest's underbrush. A pair of iris-less black eyes blinked at him from an oblong face. A long knife, almost sword-length, was in its clawed hand.

Foregoing all pleasantries, Shiro growled, "Where's my team?"

The Vyrkese's bat-like ears went flat against its head. "Your comrades are just outside this castle's walls."

"And did you beat them, too?" Shiro snarled. He didn't dare take his gaze from the alien's face to check on Lance but he felt him near anyway.

"We had to subdue the intruders" was the vague answer. "We feared for our safety."

"So you attack first and ask questions later, huh? I wonder if I should practice what you preach." Shiro inched his hand closer, and the colourful skin turned a pale grey.

"Please," the Vyrkese gasped. "We were only protecting ourselves."

Shiro ground his teeth together before backing off, releasing the alien and letting it slump against the wall, rubbing its neck. "Take me to my team," he commanded, his right hand still glowing.

The Vyrkese looked up at him, black eyes wide and fearful. "Yes. Yes, I will do that."

Shiro had only his year of fighting in the Galran arena to thank as he noticed the muscles bunch beneath that patterned skin. He swept his hand down just as the Vyrkese swept its sword up.

"Shiro!" Lance cried from behind.

The sword clanged against his metal arm, and Shiro smirked. To his surprise, the alien smirked back.

"You are awfully confident, Black Paladin," the Vyrkese simpered.

"Shiro!" whimpered Lance.

Turning, Shiro knew what he would find. Three more Vyrkese, all with wicked blades in hand, stood over Lance who lay on the floor, his cheek split from a punch – or a sword-tip.

"Well done, comrades," said the first of the foursome. "Ucru, find the fifth paladin and don't harm her. Come, Black Paladin." Shiro looked back in time to see a smile filled with pointed teeth. "Your comrades await you."

-:-:-:-

Despite being half-unconscious from semi-clogged sinuses (not being outside helped immensely), Pidge was a light sleeper, and so she heard the door whisper open. She sat up, rubbing her face. "The water ready?" she asked, no doubt in her mind that Shiro had come to wake her for just that reason.

There was no response, and Pidge dropped her hands to find a very colourful, very not-Shiro person in front of her. She reeled back, suddenly grateful for the sunken couches because she was able to scramble over the back and get her feet under her.

Of all the times she didn't have her bayard!

"Who are you?" she demanded, bringing her fists up. "How'd you get in here?"

The alien frowned at her, its large ears twitching. "You do not appear ill," he said.

"Sorry to disappoint. Now answer my questions!"

"I am Ucru. Your Blue Paladin let us in."

"Lance? Lance let you in?" Pidge seriously doubted that. "Where's Shiro?"

"You must mean the Black Paladin. He is with your comrades. I have orders to take you to them."

"Uh huh. Right. Why should I believe you?"

Out of a pocket in the guy's red tunic came a hand-held device. He tapped it a few times and then tossed it to her. "Here is my proof."

Pidge caught the device and dared to glance at it. It was a holopad of sorts, though not as advanced as Coran's stock. She felt the blood drain from her face at the sight of everyone – Allura, Coran, Shiro, Hunk, Lance, and Keith – on their knees, their hands obviously bound behind their backs. It looked like they were right outside because wasn't that part of the castle wall behind them?

"I will have that back, if you please," Ucru said politely.

But Pidge didn't give it to him, her mind in uproar. What to do, what to do? What was she going to do? What could she do?

Ucru walked around the couch to her and held out a hand with four fingers and wicked claws. Pidge gave the device back.

"Thank you," he said. "Now, will you come quietly or must I use force?"

Pidge glared up at him over her glasses. "You gonna tie me up, too?" she demanded.

"Only if you fight me. Come. Your comrades await you."

Pidge's shoulders slumped, and she fell into step with Ucru. It wasn't like she could take him in a fight. Maybe if she had her bayard? She knew how to fight without a weapon but most of her technique relied on pressure points and joint manipulation. She could make an educated guess for weak spots (throat, eyes, ears, wrists), but she didn't dare rush him because she didn't know how fast he was. She knew next to nothing about the Vyrkese. She didn't know how fast and strong he was – and he was obviously fast and strong. No species that was that leanly muscled and which farmed for a living wasn't athletic to some degree.

Of all the times she didn't have her bayard!

She ran a nervous hand through her hair and froze. The headband. The Olkari tech.

Eternally armed and dangerous.

She refused to let the conspiratorial smile threatening her cross her face. She would stay neutral, pretend to be defeated, and then she would unleash hell.

They were at the front door when Pidge remembered what else awaited her outside.

"Oh, crud," she hissed and then she sneezed.

Ucru jumped. "What was that? Was that you?"

Mucus was dripping once more from Pidge's nose, and she wiped it with her sleeve. "Yes. I sneezed. I'b allergic to your planet."

"Your comrades said you were ill. Is it always this temperamental?"

"Cobes and goes with the seasons," she bit out. In the back of her brain, a devious idea niggled its way slowly to the forefront. Oh. This was going to be fun. "It gets pretty bad, pretty quick, dough." She sneezed again, twice, and sniffled loudly, overplaying it a bit.

Ucru's black eyes were getting bigger and bigger. "Is it contagious?"

"Sobtibes. Depends on the species. And how long I stay." She smiled up at him through burning and itching eyes. "I once took out a sball city on by hobeworld. S'why I kept boving. Couldn't stay in one spot for long."

"Vyrka defend us!"

"Ucru! There you are! About time you got back!"

They had rounded the corner of the castle's outer wall and found the group. Like in the still-frame on Ucru's device, her friends all knelt on the ground. A group of fifteen Vyrkese stood around them, swords out and ready. Another Vyrkese, this one not as built as the others and wearing a long, blue robe, strode forward.

"And the Green Paladin. Wonderful! But what's wrong with it?" Black eyes narrowed in confusion and concern.

Pidge let Ucru talk, her eyes tracing over her teammates. They'd been beaten – Lance the most – but she saw no evidence of broken bones, and they were all upright on their knees. Keith, Allura and Coran were all gagged. Shiro's gaze caught hers and he shook his head at her. _Run,_ he mouthed.

Pidge rolled her hands into fists. Yeah, right.

 _Easy, Pidge, easy,_ she told herself. _Just get to a tree. Get a weapon._

"You gullible idiot!" Robe-Vyrkese exclaimed. "She's pretending illness! You cannot trust the aliens; for they are as devious as they are ugly!"

"Can you – ATCHOO! – not shout, please? By head already hurts – ATCHOO! – enough." Pidge put all the haughtiness she could muster into her voice, though had to sniffle pitifully after speaking.

Ucru was close to panicking. "She could bring down our entire civilisation!" he hissed to whom Pidge guessed to be the leader.

Robe-Leader-Vyrkese snorted. "She wouldn't dare. Not when we have her precious –"

"Can I sit down or sobething?" Pidge interrupted.

"She really does not look well, Supreme Leader," a third Vyrkese added quietly, eyeing Pidge with a mix of disgust and fright.

Pidge giggled. "Suprebe Leader? Aren't you farbers? What kind of bilitarised lingo do you have here?"

A strangled cough sounded from Team Voltron: Lance was sniggering.

Bolstered by the encouragement, Pidge continued. Walking away from the Vyrkese, she chose a tree to lean against that was closest to her friends; Shiro was not even five feet away. The nearest Vyrkese inched away from her.

No one stopped her. No one seemed to want to touch her.

ATCHOO! "You dink I'b joking about dis?" she asked icily. Sniff, sniff. "You dink I'd lie about hurting people who don't –" sniff – "deserve it? It's all been accidents so far but dere's always a –" sniff – "first tibe for everyding."

"You're a Paladin of Voltron! You protect life!" Supreme Leader nearly screeched.

"I'b also huban, and hubans get bean when we're angry." Pidge straightened, wishing that snot wasn't dribbling from her nose, and her eyes weren't watering. "You want be to wipe out your village with dis plague? Let. Deb. Go."

"You bluff. Anything that devastating to organic life would kill its host."

She smiled not at all benignly and could only hope her awful pallor added to the façade. "You wanna take dat risk?"

They hesitated, their sword-tips quivering in unsteady hands, and Pidge seized the moment. She pressed her palm into the silver-coloured bark. It was a shame that the Olkari technology was so conspicuous because no one missed the shoots of green energy snaking their way upward through the tree.

"What are you doing?" Ucru demanded.

Pidge just smiled. "You'll see."

Two large nodules at the bases of intersecting branches broke off, falling to the ground with heavy thumps beside Lance and Hunk.

"What in Vyrka's name?"

Pidge sent another command into the tree, and branches that were two inches thick snapped off into long pieces, sharpened to points, and plummeted straight down toward her friends. The haphazard knives sliced through bindings easily, and all six rose to their feet. Allura, Coran and Keith yanked the gags from their mouths, death in their gazes. Lance and Hunk picked up the flora-turned-blasters and took aim.

The native looked back at Pidge with wide eyes. "Witch," he rasped.

Pidge grinned, wiping her nose. "Nah. Just technology you don't under-"

The leader threw a tiny bag right at her face. Pidge was barely quick enough to throw an arm up, and the bag burst when it struck her forearm, sending spores and crushed leaves everywhere.

"Pidge!"

But Pidge only blinked against the floral debris. The spores were a pretty pink and caught the light, flashing in the sun. She frowned at the natives who trembled where they stood, surrounded by Team Voltron. "Like I said, I'b not a…" She cut off, coughing. Her throat felt tight. Her lungs felt as if they were on fire.

What had she just inhaled?

She couldn't stop coughing, tears of pain streamed from her eyes, and she fell to her knees.

"Witch," someone spat, derision and triumph in the tone.

"Pidge!" Someone was right next to her, hands taking her shoulders. She stopped coughing and could now only gasp and wheeze. "WHAT WAS IN THE BAG?" the someone roared. "WHAT WAS IN IT?"

"It was a special blend of spores and leaves that targets witches. It affects only them. We purge our people of the evil crafts. With Voltron's help, we will purge the universe."

"Like hell you will!" someone else shouted. Blaster fire punctured the air, and there was screaming and trampling feet.

Another voice but this one sounded much closer: "Shiro, what's happening?"

The hands on her shoulders shifted to pick her up and…were they running? Pidge heard the words reverberate through the chest her ear lay against. "It's a serious allergic reaction. Her throat's closing. She can't breathe."

"What can we do? We don't even know if the pods will resolve this. Alteans don't get allergies. We're not prepared for this!"

Shiro – it had to be Shiro who held her; Pidge could feel his metal arm beneath her knees – said nothing, just kept running.

Green's voice suddenly wafted through Pidge's fading thoughts. _My Paladin...eathe. All will be…my Paladin. Green has…Pala…_

-:-:-:-

"Why is it that every time we go somewhere, someone ends up in a pod?"

Shiro didn't look up at Hunk's question. He heard Lance sigh.

"Not every time. Heck, we don't really have to go anywhere. We were inside the castle the first time, and we were literally right outside this time."

"Good thing, too," Coran said quietly. "Otherwise, we would have had a dead paladin on our hands. I had no idea your species could have such adverse reactions to plant spores."

"Not the species, just individuals," Lance corrected. "My baby sister's deathly allergic to bees. She carries epi-pens with her everywhere, just in case she gets stung."

"How do you find out about whether or not you have such reactions?" Allura's voice drifted into the conversation, solemn and horrified.

"Well, you can get tested. Allergies can be genetic. You run a series of tests – I'm not really sure how they work or what they test, exactly – but, yeah. That's a better way than getting stung or…"

"Or getting a spore bomb thrown into your face." Shiro almost flinched at Keith's bitterness. "Why didn't we stick around? Those aliens needed to be taught a lesson!"

"They learned their lesson," Allura said sharply, and Shiro could only agree.

Lance and Hunk had both gunned down the Supreme Leader. Shiro had been forced to admire how, despite their rage, neither had hit anything critical. The Vyrkese witch-hunter would live.

"We've flagged the planet on our database to alert all our allies to stay away," Allura continued. "Vyrk will never enter an alliance with Voltron. They can sit there and rot, for all I care, and I made sure they knew that before we left."

Shiro had been there. As the Head of Voltron, he'd had to be there. To support Allura in her decision. To show the alien scumbags that what they had done had not shaken his resolve. He had witnessed her wrath (however non-violent it had been) unleashed upon the unsuspecting ears and eyes of the Vyrkese. She had grown not in size but in power. The gem on her forehead had shone with her righteous fury, a phantom wind had stirred her hair. The very air around her had heated as she had stared down at the cowed locals.

"Never again," she had said, her chilling voice contrasting with the hot air. "No Voltron Paladin, no ally of ours will ever venture onto this abominable planet again. You have my word as Princess Allura of Altea."

She had said nothing more, turning on her heel and storming out, and Shiro had followed her, his expression neutral while he had fought to not activate his Galra hand and finish what Lance and Hunk had started on the Supreme Leader.

They had launched without taking anything, not that anyone was surprised. Hunk might have been a bit disappointed (Shiro knew he'd had an eye on some tubers and herbs) but the Yellow Paladin didn't show it.

"Shiro?"

Shiro looked up to find Keith right next to him. He knew he looked awful, his eyes felt dead, his mouth tightly pressed into a hard line. He wanted to throw something, break something, punch through a wall, scream, yell, and then, after all of that, he wanted to cry. All because of a stupid allergic reaction that had almost taken their youngest friend and teammate from them.

"She's going to be okay, Shiro," Keith said, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing.

Shiro looked back at Pidge who was encased in a healing pod and deeply asleep. Her small chest rose and fell with each breath. At least she was breathing. They had been forced to gamble. Neither Allura nor Coran had been confident that the healing pods would reopen Pidge's throat and reverse the damage. Shiro hadn't been confident either but it was either take a very tiny chance to save her or let her die. Gain everything or lose everything.

It had been three days and Pidge was due to come out any minute now. She was going to be okay – she was already well on her way to being okay.

Any minute now…

-:-:-:-

The gentle chime of a completed healing cycle always reminded Pidge of an oven's timer. _Ding! Cookies are done!_ It reminded her of home, and for a brief second she thought she could smell her mom's peanut butter cookies…

Then her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at the first thing she saw which was Shiro. "Hi," she said, and she realised that her throat wasn't tight and her lungs felt fine.

"Hi, Pidge." Shiro helped her down and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You gave us quite the scare, you know."

"Yeah, but you scare easily so it's not that hard." She grinned up at him. "Thanks for the save," she added, more subdued.

"Anytime, Guardian Spirit of Drainage."

"Guardian Spirit of WHAT? Oh my gosh, I am so using that from now on!" Lance roared with glee, making the others, even Allura who purposefully tried to never laugh at Lance's antics, laugh.

Pidge grinned at them all. She would remind Lance about her being eternally armed and dangerous later. For now, she leaned against Shiro, grateful that she was still here and still a part of this.

-:-

Please review.


	9. Chapter 9: Superstition

**Icy Icee:** Ha, thank you! Funnily enough, though I am not deathly allergic to anything, I sneeze. A lot.

 **rainbowrider1290:** Thank you so much! It was mentioned in the show that Pidge has allergies, and a reviewer asked me for a look into that. I hope your walls are interesting. ;)

 **Anonymous:** Oooooh! I gotcha. Probably not. Sorry. :( I will, however, feature Keith throughout future chapters. Thank you for reviewing!

 **thebooknerdgeek:** Thank you! Yeah, Pidge is a natural at kicking butt. ;)

 **DreamsNitemares:** Thank you so much! Pidge is my favourite, too, obviously. Here's your update, and thank you for the writer's blessing. :)

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 **Graham Crackers Are Awesome:** Those are some fabulous ideas. I'll work on that. ;) Thank you.

 **playswithworms:** Yay for day-saving Pidge! I like Shiro being a dad to the other paladins far too much. Thank you for reviewing!

 **CB89:** Thank you!

 **ShadowFox197:** Thank you, and you're more than welcome. :)

 **Sparklesona:** Thank you! Here's the next chapter.

 **Azilia james:** (In response to your reviews of Chapters 3-8) Hahahahaha! Thank you for loving my chapters. :D Also, I must inform you that I've known I'm evil for a long while now. (If you think that cliffhanger from Chapter 4 was bad, try reading some of my TMNT work, specifically "Brother Mine" and "Flash"; I was really evil with those cliffhangers.) What is magic but technology we don't yet understand? Pretty much the underlying statement of this entire fic is that nobody should ever underestimate Pidge. :)

 **Kinzichi:** Oh my goodness, thank you!

 **Guest (Incognito):** Wow, thank you! (By the way, who in their right mind would write a brain tumor fic about our beloved Pidge? RUDE!) You are more than welcome. :) I will do my best.

 **Triscribe:** (In response to your reviews of Chapters 6 and 8) Keith's perspective is very interesting to step into and write from, I must admit. Thank you! Do you have anything particular for hurt-comfort? I'm taking suggestions. :)

 **Guest:** I can only assume you meant 'Pidge' and not the word you posted (Heehee), but, yes, Pidge is my favourite, too. Here's the next chapter! Thank you for reviewing!

 **ChemicalX:** Aw, thank you! I will do my best to keep it up. Feel free to shower me with prompts. :)

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 **Guest:** Brilliant idea! It might have to wait a chapter or three, but I love that idea! Thank you!

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 **Green Giant Uranus:** Thank you very much! That's so kind! I'm glad you're enjoying the fic. :)

 **Author's Note:** 101 reviews, 79 favourites, 92 followers, countless readers - thank you so much, everyone! You are kind souls. :D Also, I've switched things up a bit for this chapter. Enjoy!

 _Chapter 9: Superstition_

Part One: Don't Whistle at Night

It spoke volumes that Hunk had been away from home for too long when he caught himself whistling. He rarely whistled nowadays. His Grandma Garrett had warned her grandbabies very early on in their childhoods to never under any circumstances whistle…at night. Daytime was fine. Whistle for your dog, whistle that happy tune, but don't ever, ever whistle at night. You invite bad spirits that way. So fearful of accidentally inviting spirits was Hunk that he had vowed at the tender age of seven to never whistle. Ever. But as he had grown older, his family had moved from Samoa to America, and he had begun to adopt western culture. He had found out when he was fifteen that he was actually a pretty good whistler. He could not only hail dogs from a half mile off, but he could carry just about any tune requested. From Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", to "Beauty and the Beast", to Josh Daniel's rendition of "Jealous", Hunk could whistle them all. But no matter how much his schoolmates had goaded, nagged, and begged, he had never whistled after sunset. He had fallen out of whistling in recent months, too busy or sad for home to bother with it.

So it was that when Hunk caught himself whistling sometime after lunch as he tried out a new recipe for turnovers, he paused and looked out the window at the black void of space. His heart kicked into double time at the sight of all that darkness. Did it count as nighttime if there was no sun? The ship had its own time zone of sorts, to mimic Earth hours, and, sure, there were set times for sleeping and waking and meals and such, but…but there was, technically, _no sun_.

With his heart pounding in his chest, he turned his head and spat on the floor*.

"DUDE!"

Hunk yelled, swinging his hands up and subsequently flinging half-kneaded dough everywhere.

"Dude, Hunk! It's just us!"

It was Lance and Pidge. They had taken shelter behind the island but Lance, being taller and not as quick, had dough bits in his hair.

Taking a great, shuddering breath, Hunk tried to smile. "Hey, guys. Sorry about that."

Lance shook out his hair over the sink while Pidge climbed up onto the island. "We saw you spit on the floor," she said. "Do you have any idea how unsanitary that is, especially in a kitchen?"

Hunk looked down and went back to kneading. "Sorry. It's just…nothing. It's okay."

Pidge glanced at him sidelong. "Aren't you going to clean it up?"

No. No, no, he wasn't. If any spirits did come, they'd go for the saliva on the floor instead of the offender. "Uh…" he said.

"Leave it, Pidge," Lance butted in. Levelling a gentle look at Hunk, his best friend asked, "Did you whistle?"

Hunk swallowed and nodded. "I don't know if this counts as nighttime," he said quietly, jerking his head to the window.

Lance sighed. "It's fine. It'll be fine. Don't you worry."

Pidge frowned, looking between the two of them. "I'm missing something, aren't I?" she asked.

"It's bad luck to whistle at night," said Lance. "A lot of cultures are superstitious about it."

"Oh." Pidge looked thoughtful. "You're Samoan, right, Hunk?"

"Yeah."

"Hm." To both boys' surprise, she didn't say more than that.

Hunk had to know why. "You don't seem…skeptical."

Pidge's eyebrows shot toward her hairline. "Really? Hunk, we're currently on an alien spaceship travelling through the deepest reaches of the universe; we pilot sentient, magical, robotic Lions that are older than every manmade anything on Earth, and which can combine into one mega robot; we're waging a war against an evil overlord who has managed to stay alive for the last ten thousand years, and is still kicking; and you're asking me why I'm not skeptical?"

"Fair enough," Lance and Hunk said in unison.

"So…what's the spit for?"

Hunk's hands slowed in their work. Pitching his voice low, he answered, "Just in case bad spirits do come."

"Like an offering?"

"Kind of."

"Hm," Pidge said again. It was with a solemn face that she slid off the counter, carefully sidestepping the spittle on the floor, and walked out.

"Dude," Lance said with a chuckle. "I think you broke her brain."

Hunk was not so sure. Pidge was curious about a lot of things, and, like she had said, they were doing a lot of really crazy things already. What was learning about a little bit of cultural superstition to a defender of the universe?

-:-:-:-

Part Two: Don't Take Seashells Home

It was a paradise. It was all Lance could think of as he tore out of the castle in nothing but his swim shorts with an exultant "WAHOO!" Paradise, paradise, paradise! Sun and sand and water! Water, water, water! He dived into the waves, not caring that he was still in the shallows. He submerged himself and swam, his strong arms and legs powering him through the surf. Alien fish and crustaceans darted away into hidey holes, and Lance returned to air for a breath before diving again. Allura and Coran had assured him – all of them – safety in the water, as long as he didn't venture too deep.

The drop-off was only a couple hundred yards from shore, a yawning abyss of inky blue that darkened to black the longer Lance looked. He kicked for the surface and headed back to dry ground.

He spotted Hunk and Pidge first, hunting about in the shallows for critters to fry. Shiro was teaching Allura and Coran how to make a sand castle with, surprisingly, Keith assisting.

"Hey, Lance!" Hunk waved him over, a bucket in hand. "We were about to come in after you! Nice water, huh?"

"Hm," Lance hummed in agreement, turning onto his back and letting the tide take him to shore. "Feels just like back home."

Pidge wore a massive sunhat that looked ridiculous on her small head. Lance could see a sheen on her skin from sun lotion. The poor kid burned; everyone knew it. She, too, had a bucket.

Lance stood up when he ran aground and he headed over to the pair. "Anything good?" he asked.

Hunk eagerly showed him his haul. "Coran said the clam things here are supposed to be good. Good thing I know how to shuck 'em."

"Nice, man! Hey, Pidgeykins, what'd'ya got?"

Pidge was bent double, her glasses low on her nose as she scanned the water. "Just some shells." She straightened and reached into her bucket. "Check out this one!" She held up a magnificent conch-like shell but this one had vibrant red stripes along its length.

"It's pretty, Pidge," Lance complimented. He peered into her pail and was impressed at the array and variety. Conches of different sizes met his eyes, as did what looked like alien clam shells, cockles, and even a whelk or two. All were colourful: black spots, red streaks, pearly grey beads. It was a trove of hard work.

Lance's stomach churned at the sight. "It all looks great," he forced himself to say.

There had to have been something off in his tone because Pidge frowned and looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He said it too quickly and mentally kicked himself.

Pidge slowly lowered the conch, her gaze on the shell. "I thought maybe Keith would like it," she murmured. "I've been trying to find shells for everybody…" She trailed off and gripped her container tighter.

Lance sighed. "It's a great idea, Pidge. It really is but…but you really should put them all back."

"All of them? Why? They're empty. I made sure nothing was living in them. Why do I have to dump them?"

That was a really good question, one for which Lance didn't have a solid answer. But he replied anyway, "My Mamá told us to never bring seashells home. Seashells are for the sea. They have no place on land."

"Is it bad luck or something?"

Lance shrugged. "Who knows? But I don't dare disobey Mamá even if she's on the other side of the universe. Luck and bad spirits and that kind of stuff don't have the same boundaries as we would like to think they do. I'm sorry," he added, since he felt it was needed.

"No, it's… It's okay, I guess. I mean, I didn't know." She flashed him a half-hearted smile. "Thanks for the warning."

Lance watched her walk away a few yards and gently put back each and every shell she had found. Looking over his shoulder, he found Hunk watching him.

"Sometimes," his friend said quietly, "I wonder if we are too superstitious."

"It's better to be safe than sorry, bro," Lance answered. "Besides, we already have to deal with evil aliens. Do we really have time to deal with evil spirits?"

It was meant as a joke – kind of – but Hunk didn't laugh. Neither did Lance.

-:-:-:-

Part Three: Don't Forget the Wards

Allura fell into her bed and snuggled the comforters for a moment. It had been yet another long day – no attacks from the Galra or otherwise, thank goodness, but it had been a draining day, nonetheless. All she wanted now was to get into her nightgown and crawl under the thick covers and slee-

THE WARDS!

Allura bolted upright and scrambled for the door, calling as she went. "Coran, the wards! We forgot to set the wards!"

Coran's room was just beside hers and so he heard her shout. It was a good thing they were in the royal wing; otherwise, they would surely have awoken the paladins. As it was, the two raced down the hall and then split up at the first intersection. Allura went right, digging into a pocket in her dress and pulling out a bottle which gave off a silvery sheen. Coming to a stop at the first window, she un-stoppered the bottle and tapped a single grain of silver sand onto her fingertip. Very carefully, Allura set the grain into a tiny nick in the middle (the exact middle) of the sill. Then she was off again. Window after window, and then the Lions' hangars. Coran, she knew, would do the outer doors and the Yellow, Blue, and Black hangars while she did Red's and Green's.

Allura almost screamed when she saw a light when she entered Green's hangar.

But it was Pidge. Pidge sat with her back to Green's front paw, her laptop resting on her crossed legs.

"Oh, hey, Allura!" Pidge greeted. "Are you okay?"

"Forgive my intrusion," Allura said, trying to calm her heart and not be embarrassed. "I didn't realise you were in here. Do you know what time it is?"

"After midnight, I think." Pidge set her laptop aside and gained her feet. "I should probably head off for bed."

"Yes. You probably should."

Neither Allura nor Pidge moved.

"Are you okay?" Pidge asked again.

"Yes, of course! I'm perfectly fine."

Pidge shifted her weight and looked up at Green. "Well. I don't like to leave the hangar with someone else inside."

Allura frowned and was about to start off on how she was royalty and her duty was to the Lions and she should be trusted, but then she remembered what Pidge had said on the second day of their acquaintance: _The princess of what? She's no princess of ours._ While that bitter feud had resolved itself months ago, Allura knew to tread carefully around the Green Paladin. She had learned her lesson well that day.

"I see," she chose to say instead. "Forgive me. I won't keep you long. I just have to do one little thing." She crossed to the bay's massive doors and found the nick in the exact centre on the floor in front.

"What are you doing?" Pidge had drawn near, watching her.

Allura set the grain into place and turned to her. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing." Pidge inched closer. "You're usually asleep by this time. What's wrong?"

Allura sighed, tucking the bottle back into her pocket. "Coran and I set wards at the beginning of every week."

"Wards? For what?"

"Anything and everything. It's an ancient Altean, um…"

"Superstition?" Pidge offered shyly.

Allura immediately became defensive. "It's not nonsense!"

Pidge raised her hands and stepped back. "No, no. That's not what I meant at all," she said hurriedly. "I mean, I've heard Hunk and Lance talk about their cultures' superstitions. I don't think they think it's nonsense. It stands to reason that other planets would have their own, uh, customs. I mean, better safe than sorry, right?" she added, trying to smile.

Allura released a held breath and her anger. Pidge understood. Curious, questioning paladin. "Thank you. I appreciate your understanding."

Pidge smiled more genuinely. "So is that the last of it?"

"Until next week," Allura answered kindly.

"Maybe I could help? I'm usually up and about after hours. The job will go faster with the three of us."

Three? How did she know that Coran helped? "Thank you, Pidge. That's a generous offer, and I accept."

With that, the two turned for the door, leaving behind the single silver grain.

-:-:-:-

Part Four: Don't Sleep Facing North

Shiro was still awake late one night when he spotted Allura and Coran roaming through the halls with bottles that gleamed with a pearly sheen. He knew about the wards; he had found out the first night on the Castle of Lions. Both Alteans had made him swear to not tell the other paladins – whether out of embarrassment or superiority, he hadn't been sure. He knew now that it had been embarrassment. Allura had informed him just last week that Pidge had discovered the weekly ritual and had offered assistance. It was a low blow to Shiro that he hadn't made the same offer, simply assuming it was a strict Altean custom and human hands (especially his Galra hand) were unworthy to hold the shiny sand.

"Ah, Shiro." Allura smiled at him as she finished placing a grain at the window. "You're awake still."

"Yeah." Shiro rubbed the back of his neck. "Figured I'd go for a walk to clear my head. How are the wards?"

"Complete," Allura answered. "Pidge was a great help tonight but I think she's fallen asleep in one of the downstairs commons."

Shiro smiled as he shook his head. Pidge had a habit of either staying up until unholy hours or falling asleep whenever and wherever the mood suited her. "I'll get her, don't worry," he assured the princess.

"I will not," she said and turned away to the royal wing.

Shiro took the opposite direction, his steps purposeful instead of wandering. It felt good to have a purpose, even if it was to fetch the wayward Pidge to her bed.

Entering the commons, Shiro slammed to a halt. Every alarm, every instinct in his brain and body and soul clamoured. Wrong, wrong, wrong! No, no, no!

The Castle of Lions technically had no poles, either magnetic or directional, yet everyone at some point in the last month or so had agreed on directions for the castle. The four Lion hangars set in the outermost wings were north-east, north-west, south-east, and south-west. The front and main door was north. Having been born with an incredible sense of direction which had only increased in his years at the Garrison and then in the Galra arena, Shiro knew which direction he faced at anytime, anywhere, within the castle or without. And he knew that Pidge slept with her head pointed towards the front door. Towards the north.

Wrong, wrong, wrong! No, no, no!

Shiro lunged forward, his parents' warnings of bad luck and death nipping at his heels, and he snatched – barely remembering to be careful with his right arm – Pidge off the couch and out of her peaceful slumber.

He'd done it. Pidge was safe. No bad luck or death would –

WABAM!

A fist met his face and Shiro, his arms full of Pidge, did nothing to stop it. He managed to not drop her as he stumbled backward. Pain burst in his nose and he felt the blood pour, his eyes watering.

"Oh my gosh! Shiro?"

Shiro had to put her down and pinch his nose to stem the flow, tilting his head back. At least it wasn't broken. "Hey, Pidge. Nice reflexes."

Pidge was a rumpled and blood-spotted mess with a hilarious mixture of rage and remorse on her face. "Oh my gosh, Shiro! What is wrong with you? I punched you in the face! Why did you grab me? I thought we were under attack!"

"And if we were, you would have done an admirable job of getting away. Good job."

"Was this a quiznaking _test_?! Are you _insane_?"

He suddenly wished it had been a test. That was more easily explainable. His superstition…not so much. "I really hope not," he chose to say.

Pidge huffed, her hands shaking yet slowly steadying. "Well, come on. Let's get you to a bathroom." She took his free, right hand and tugged him from the room.

She sat him on the toilet and ran a cloth under the faucet. "Here. Cold water will clot the blood faster." She handed him the sopping cloth.

"You say it like I've never had a bleeding nose before," Shiro quipped at her.

Pidge opened her mouth to retort but then closed it. Shrugging out of her jacket, she ran it under warm water and added soap.

Shiro forced himself to sit through the uncomfortable silence while his nose clotted and Pidge washed. Only when he was sure the bleeding had stopped did he speak. "Pidge?"

Pidge didn't look at him, still rubbing the fabric. "You never did answer my question," she said quietly. "You never did say why you woke me up like the room was on fire."

Shiro sighed and stood at the second sink to rinse out the stained cloth. "Promise you won't laugh?" he asked, a smile pulling at his mouth.

Pidge exhaled sharply, bowing her head. "Why is it that everyone on this ship is so superstitious?" she demanded bitterly. She glared up at him over her glasses. "What did I do, huh? What did I do this time to freak someone out?"

Shiro blinked. "Uh…"

"Is sleeping going to invite bad spirits now? Is _breathing_? I've been trying to be accepting, Shiro, I really have. I let Hunk spit on the floor in the kitchen because he caught himself whistling, I put all the seashells back when Lance told me to, and I help Allura and Coran put _specks of dust_ at windowsills! All of that because if they do whatever it is that they're not supposed to do, bad things will happen. Well, you know what, Shiro? Bad things happen anyway! Bad things happen all the time!"

She took a great, heaving breath. She probably had no idea she was crying. No. She did. She looked away to her reflection in the mirror. She snorted wetly. "Did you know it's bad luck to look in mirrors at night? A friend at school told me so. I told her that was stupid. She stopped being my friend after that." She sniffed, wiping her face on what part of the jacket that wasn't soaking wet.

"So what was it?" she asked, quiet and solemn. "Why did you panic? I've seen you face down enemy warships but I've never seen you look so scared before." Her gaze flicked up to his, desperate to understand, to know. "What was it?"

Shiro had long since stopped scrubbing at his cloth, and he said very quietly, "My mother was Japanese. My father was half-Japanese**. I grew up believing that it was bad luck to sleep with your head facing north."

Pidge said nothing so he continued. "We bury our dead with their heads towards the north. To sleep like that is to invite death yourself. I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to. Like you said, I…I panicked."

"You were…trying to…save me?" Pidge said at last. When Shiro shrugged, she dropped her jacket in the sink and wound her arms around him. "Thank you."

"Oh, Pidge." Shiro hugged her back with his elbows, very aware of the blood still on his hands. "Anytime, kiddo."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," she mumbled.

"I kind of deserved that."

"I'm sorry I punched you."

"I _really_ deserved that," he said, chuckling. "Hey."

She looked up at him, letting him go.

"Thanks."

"What for?"

He smiled at her. "For putting up with our baggage. Customs, traditions, rituals, superstitions, it all can take a toll."

"I guess so," she mused. She suddenly grimaced. "Oh gosh! If Keith has some weird, Galra, voodoo junk, I'm gonna throw him out an airlock!"

Shiro laughed. "I don't think you'll have any issues with Keith. He's far too down-to-earth for that kind of thing."

"But, Shiro, we're not on Earth," Pidge pointed out, smirking.

Well, he'd walked into that one. They dissolved into giggles.

-:-

*Not actually Samoan but I couldn't find anything to counter accidental whistling, and spitting is common throughout other cultures to divert or warn away spirits.

**Personal head-canon.

Please review. :D


	10. Chapter 10: Inheritance

**Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you for reviewing!

 **Eeveecat1248:** Thank you!

 **Guest:** Thank you. I'm glad you thought so.

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 **ChemicalX:** Thank you! And thank you for the prompt.

 **Sparklesona:** Thank you. Sorry to have made you wait.

 **Triscribe:** I totally (obviously) made up that superstition. Everything else I found related to the boys' own cultures. In my head, Shiro was already under a lot of stress. Pidge sent him over the edge by sleeping the wrong way and he completely overreacted. I'm glad you thought so. :) I am down to write ANYTHING along those lines. I live for angst and hurt/comfort. *evil grin*

 **GottaLoveNaLu:** Thank you!

 **rainbowrider1290:** Thank you! And thank goodness for Google. All I had to do was input X culture and superstition, and got immediate hits. It was a simple matter of finding one that suited to being on an alien ship floating about in Space.

 **Azilia james:** That's all right, hon. I'm just happy that you're reading and enjoying my work. :) Pidge on the pole! Oh my! Naughty! ;) I will take your hint and run with it! Thank you!

 **Green Giant Uranus:** Thank you so much! I enjoy writing all of my stuff but I did enjoy writing that last chapter a lot. :)

 **Guest:** Thank you kindly! Have some more! :)

 **feelzyfeelz:** Thank you! Wow, that's so kind of you to say!

 **Guest:** (I'm not sure which guest this is so I gave you your own slot) Thank you for the reminder. I needed to hear it. :)

 **avidbeader:** (In response to your reviews of Chapters 1-9) It boggled my mind for several seconds when I realised my review number had suddenly jumped. Then I saw they were all from you and I legitimately squealed with delight because thank you so much for stopping to review so often! I have a hard time doing that, so thank you a hundred times over! :D In your Chapter 8 review, you were the only one to comment on the scene between Shiro and Lance so thank you for that, too. :)

 **Guest:** Thank you! Have an update! :)

 **circeanTransient:** (Fabulous username, by the way!) Thank you so much! Pidge is my favourite but I'm not sure if I have a second. It might be Shiro... or Allura. I've actually never thought about it. :)

 **CocoMint:** (Responding to your reviews of Chapter 7 and 9) Thank you! And I agree: Lance is definitely a smart cookie but I think he downplays it in favour of his best buddy, Hunk, and his pint-sized buddy, Pidge. :) All of the superstitions regarding the boys are real for their own cultures (Lance, Cuban; Hunk, Samoan; and Shiro, Japanese). The Altean superstition is made up by yours truly. :) I'm glad you enjoyed them.

 **22velvetspoons:** (Responding to your reviews of Chapters 7 and 8) O.O Thank you. I think I'll switch it, though, because Lance has little siblings. This can definitely go places... I hope your heart metaphorically exploded. ;)

 **GUEST:** (I'm not sure if this GUEST is the same as the other GUEST from Feb 28 but I'll answer anyway.) Thank you! I kept snickering over that line; it was too good to not put in. Sorry about making you wait. :(

 **ktassone28:** Thank you so much! I'm sorry about the long wait.

 **YourOwnBeat1307:** Holy cow, thank you! That's so kind! Those two chapters are among my favourites, too, because I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort and angst. Thank you for the compliment on my writing. :)

 **LisaChan:** Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying them. Here is an update for you. :)

 **Hello:** I'm sorry you had to check so often and not get anything. :( I've missed writing this fic. Have an update. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Cielmatica:** (Responding to your reviews of Chapters 5-9) Dragging Hunk did hurt but Pidge is stubborn and loyal. The aliens mentioned in Chapter 5 are actually of my own creation. As for Chapter 6...I have several ideas of a follow-up, none happy so yay for hurt/comfort and angst! I'll leave that there; otherwise I might end up spoiling the story. For Chapter 7, thank you! I honestly can't remember in the show if Pidge keeps an Olkari circlet but I can't imagine the Olkari would forbid her from taking one. Chapter 8, thank you! I'm glad you loved it! Of course, you are more than welcome. I enjoyed writing it. :) Feel free to drop prompts whenever you like; they certainly help the well of inspiration (and it helps when the prompter is diabolical ;)). Chapter 9, I admit that I was a little unsure about that chapter simply because it was more a culture-study than an actual story. Still, thank you for the kind compliments. :D I honestly don't know about Pidge's eyesight. I've seen a lot of headcanons where the glasses are real prescriptions (she's far-sighted), where the lenses are fake, and even ones where the lenses have been popped out (but that one doesn't make sense because we get reflections off the lenses every so often). My personal headcanon is that they're a pair of Matt's old frames and she put in plain glass, as part of her disguise. She doesn't really need them physically, like you said, but rather for emotional reasons.

 **Guest:** Hi right back at ya! I am writing, I promise. It's just been really busy for me of late. :/ Thank you for reviewing and for the prompt!

 **WarDrums:** (Responding to your review of Chapter 3) Wow! I'm glad you like it so much! And thank you. No one has ever called my writing "well developed and really, really dark and brilliant" - that's so kind of you! :)

 **Ms-NotCreative:** I would never flame anyone but I must correct you: Hunk being Samoan is not my idea. It's actually canon. The creators tweeted a while ago the origins of a couple of the characters. For example, Lance is Cuban, and Hunk is Samoan. As much as I would love to take credit for Hunk, I can't. But I love how much you love Hunk being Polynesian and Samoan (and I agree with you that we should think of the other cultures in Polynesia). :D That's a funny thing about ghosts that I've never heard of! Thank you for the review!

 **Ireland Scott of Broh:** I'll see what I can do. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** I am so sorry for the wait, my dear readers, followers, and reviewers. It's been hectic with end-of-term assignments and things, and I had my month-long practicum which took up all of April. That, and writer's block is extraordinarily rude this go-round. But now my summer holiday is here so I will have more time for writing. Thank you for being patient. :D

Dedicated to Guest on Chapter 7 who prompted me with "Pidge and the guys dealing with a person who, for whatever reason you choose, hates Pidge".

 _Chapter 10: Inheritance_

"Now remember, Paladins," Allura said quietly, "the K'vren are a noble and mighty race, and they don't take insults lightly."

Pidge was too busy regarding the curved, vaulted ceilings overhead to notice that everyone else glanced at Lance.

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Lance protested.

"Not all the time," Shiro assured him just as Keith said, "Yeah, you are."

Hunk tossed an arm over Lance's shoulders, saying, "We still love you, man."

"Pidge? Pidge, are you listening?"

"Hm?" Pidge tore her eyes away from the architecture to find Allura pursing her lips at her. "Oh, um, don't insult the K'vren. Noble and snooty. Got it." She gave the princess a thumb's up and resumed her appreciation of the room they were in.

Small though it was, it was lined with low and plush couches and chairs, the floors were a polished stone that resembled marble but with more red and even some purple, and the domed ceilings were at least thirty feet high with artistically-carved beams which were stained lilac. According to the brief research she had done, the carvings were symbolic of past battles and victories. Pidge itched to get a closer look but she was stuck on the ground. For now.

One of the many doors off the waiting room opened, and a doorman in cream and purple bowed them through. Pidge followed, looking around at what looked very much like a medieval throne room, complete with courtiers and servants. Here, the luxury and nobility of the K'vren screamed: the floor was broken up into a mosaic of stars that transitioned gradually to the planet's formation and subsequent birth of the people here; the tall, arched windows were stained, the sunlight filtering through and casting rainbows across the floor and making the origin story gleam with mid-afternoon's fire; the K'vren here, courtiers and servants, were dressed in materials of all kinds and every colour imaginable, though red and purple were more common, especially with the servants – a livery, Pidge inferred.

Allura stopped their party ten feet from a raised dais and enfolded her hands over her breast, dropping her head. "Grand Mouth," she greeted with a voice that carried to every corner of the room, "we are honoured that the Mouth of the Emperor meets with us."

That caught Pidge's attention. Mouth of the Emperor? So this wasn't the king or whatever? He certainly looked like one, draping himself over a wing-backed chair of that ornate, red-and-purple stone, with rings on at least ten of his dozen fingers. A headdress of beads and jewels tinkled as he inclined his bald head. "His Imperial Majesty sends His regards," he said, his voice bland and uncaring, "and His apologies. Not even emperors are immune to summer colds." His mouth stretched in a hideously tight smile, revealing teeth that were adorned with what looked like rubies, giving the impression of gleaming blood.

Mouth of the Emperor. More like Mouth of Sauron. Unconsciously, Pidge sidestepped closer to Hunk.

Allura didn't even flinch. She smiled back and lowered her hands to her side. "I introduce to Your Grandness the Paladins of Voltron."

At this, the courtiers rustled almost in unison, closing in a step or two to peer at them. The Mouth straightened in his chair. Despite her unease, Pidge couldn't help but feel a rush of pride. They were defenders of the universe, and these people regarded them as such.

Allura swept an arm out to them and declared, "Shiro, the Black Paladin. Keith, the Red Paladin. Pidge, the Green Paladin. Lance, the Blue Paladin. And Hunk, the Yellow Paladin." As they were all kipped out in their full armour, Pidge felt the identification of their colours rather pointless, but she said nothing.

The Mouth leaned forward, steepling his glittering fingers, as he peered at each of the paladins with keen, cat-slitted, red eyes. "Incredible," he mused in his bored tone. "Such fragile creatures that are our universe's only hope." His eyes continued to rove over them and then halted on Pidge. Those pupils thinned. "You have an intruder, Princess Allura. It seems one of your paladins is female."

There was a beat of silence before a muffled snort sounded from the paladins' ranks. Pidge was not the only one to glare at Lance, and Allura shook her head infinitesimally at him.

But the Mouth heard and turned his gaze on Lance. "You think such a breech is funny, Blue Paladin?" he asked. Boredom was gone from his tone; the question was nothing short of a hiss.

Lance was not cowed so easily and replied, "Sorry, Your Grandness, but it is kinda funny 'cause we've known Pidge is a girl for a while."

"You…knew." The Mouth's eyes blazed with fury and he stood. He wasn't much taller than Allura but it was nonetheless impressing. His bejewelled headdress sang a discord of jarring notes. "This is an outrage, Princess. You cannot expect His Imperial Majesty to allow this violation of K'vren law go unpunished."

"Unpunished?" Hunk squeaked.

"What violation?" Pidge demanded, striding forward to stand beside Allura. "What have I done?"

Everyone in the room froze, eyes bugged wide, and whispers flew.

"Pidge, step back," Allura murmured to her just as Shiro's hand enclosed around Pidge's upper arm and dragged her a couple feet behind the princess.

"You allow such rebellion, Princess?" The Mouth stared down at Allura who visibly stiffened.

"We're not her servants!" Pidge hollered.

"Pidge!" hissed Shiro. "We don't know what's going on. Please be quiet."

Pidge fell silent but not because of the order: each and every K'vren in the room (and there were at least forty) took a single step closer. Curiosity was gone, now there was anger, and they closed ranks around the dais. Keith readjusted his weight, Hunk grimaced, and Lance rolled his eyes but Pidge saw his hand go to his bayard.

Allura tried to do damage control: "Grand Mouth, the Paladins of Voltron operate under Altean law –"

"Which no longer exists," the Mouth interrupted, still standing, still a threat. "Altea and its culture are nothing more than dust particles. What are they compared to the living _and thriving_ K'vré?"

Beside Pidge, Shiro stilled, his hand clenching too hard around her arm. Disjointedly, she was grateful that it was his left hand that gripped her, but then Shiro abruptly let go and strode to Allura's side, no doubt to aid her.

Princess Allura of Altea needed no such assistance. Drawing herself up to her full height, she spoke with all the authority she possessed. "As long as I live, Altea's culture is preserved which means the law still stands which means _your law_ holds no merit, not while the paladins are under _my_ guidance and care. We apologise to you and His Imperial Majesty for the misunderstanding," she added more softly, inclining her head.

The Mouth's red eyes flashed, matching the sparkling blood in his teeth. "Your apology is meaningless," he spat. "You are on K'vren soil so you answer to K'vren law." He waved a hand, and six guards peeled out of the shadows behind the dais. Pidge's heart hammered at the sight of firearms that were bigger than Hunk's bayard.

"You willfully threaten Voltron," hissed Allura, her warning more of a promise.

"What is it with guys who think that's a good idea?" Lance whispered to no one in particular.

"Incorrect." The Mouth either didn't hear Lance or ignored him entirely. "The Voltron Lions are sentient but evidently an error was made in the selection process. Such…ancient technology is bound to have its hiccups." He smirked and Pidge's hand itched to punch him in his twinkling mouth. But since that wouldn't go over well, she resorted to the next best thing:

"You know absolute jack about the Lions!" she bit out.

The Mouth turned baleful eyes on her and he said, "You are nothing more than a power-hungry thief. You have no right to be here. Guards!"

Allura stepped back while Shiro, Keith, Lance and Hunk closed around her. Spreading her arms wide, she blocked the guards' advance. "You will not touch her," she snarled.

"You willfully threaten the K'vren," the Mouth observed snidely.

"We are Voltron," Allura retorted. "We have the universe as our ally. Who do you have against that, unless, of course, you side with the Galra?"

Finally, _finally_ , the Mouth fell silent. No one spoke. No one dared to move. The guards, courtiers and servants all watched their emperor's representative do nothing more than stand and breathe.

Allura nodded once. "You wish to remain a free people," she said kindly. "I commend you for that. Please inform His Imperial Majesty that our hand of friendship is still extended. Voltron and _each of its paladins_ will protect and defend you from Galra forces." Bowing once more with her hands clasped over her chest, she ushered Pidge and the others back through the crowd, which parted instantly, and out of the palace.

It was only when they had exited the grounds, making a bee-line for the Castle of Lions, that Shiro spoke, "That was dangerous, Princess. You insulted him by implying that he would side with the enemy."

"He'll get over it," Allura replied. "Besides, it made him shut up."

"Um," Pidge ventured, "not to make a big deal out of whatever just happened but…WHAT THE QUIZNAK JUST HAPPENED?! WHY THE HELL WAS HE SO HUNG UP ON ME BEING A GIRL?! HE DIDN'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOU!" She flung an accusatory finger at Allura who flinched.

"Pidge, calm down –" Keith urged but Pidge interrupted.

"NO! No! I am done being calm! I am so done being singled out for this crap! You tell me right now, Princess of Altea –" she sneered the title – "why my being a girl is so damn hard for people to wrap their heads around! I dealt with this crap on Earth – I am _not_ going to deal with it a tick longer out in Space!"

Allura met Pidge's enraged gaze and nodded solemnly. "I cannot begin to understand your frustration, Pidge," she started.

"Yeah, you really can't," Pidge snarled.

"But I need you to understand something," she continued. "You, in many cultures throughout the universe, are a rarity because of two things. One, you are female. Two, you were not, in their eyes at least, born to this power. To many, you acquired your status as a Voltron Paladin and that is an abomination, a theft. To many, you stole power that was intended for someone else."

"To many…" Pidge mused, her anger derailing, "but not to you."

Allura smiled. "No, Pidge. Not to me. That is because I know Voltron lore. I know how the Lions choose, what they choose, and why they choose, and, Pidge, you were born to be a paladin. Everything you are, everything you aspire to be calls to the Green Lion. You were born to this power, just as I was born to my power as royalty on Altea. The K'vren, and hundreds of others like them, believe otherwise. Males can take power. Females cannot. Females must be born to it. It is crazy and backwards and stupid but it is the way it is, and all we can do is prove them wrong."

Pidge's mind raced with this new information yet her focus singled out a grain. "But…if I was born to do this," she said slowly, "doesn't that make it moot? How can I prove that girls can acquire power if I was born to it?"

Allura stepped closer and took her shoulders, bending down a bit to look her in the face. "We let them think whatever they want," she replied. "It's why Voltron lore is so heavily protected. You were born to be a paladin, Pidge, but the Green Lion still chose you. I would not be surprised to find out if there are several candidates on Earth for each of the Lions, but out of all of those, the Blue Lion chose Lance which in turn solidified the choices of the other Lions. You were born to do this but the Green Lion _still chose you_. You acquired the role because Green allowed it. So, technically, you're both."

Pidge searched Allura's eyes for a while, looking for what, she didn't know; but whatever it was, she nodded and smiled herself. "Voltron lore must be confusing as hell," she said.

Allura laughed and straightened. "You don't know the half of it," she teased. She sobered a moment later and asked, "Does that satisfy your question?"

"It does. Kind of. I think. I still want to punch the Mouth of Sauron in the mouth, though."

Chuckles and snorts erupted around her, and Pidge met Lance's fist-bump and "Genius!" with a grin.

"I agree whole-heartedly," Allura deadpanned, moving onward towards the castle, "but we're on a bit of a time crunch. Universe to save and all that."

Pidge trotted to keep up and channelled Matt's puppy eyes as she asked, "After? After we save the universe, can I punch him in the mouth?"

Allura's mouth twitched in a smile. "We'll see. That's not a yes!" she added when Pidge whooped, punched Lance in the arm, and took off in a sprint.

Unbeknownst to the others, Shiro hung back with Allura while Lance chased Pidge, Hunk and Keith chasing Lance (because he had nearly run them over in his haste to get to Pidge).

"You know that's a yes," Shiro observed to Allura.

Allura pressed her lips together to keep from smiling any wider. "You're impertinent, my Black Paladin."

"Yeah. I know."

-:-

I know things like feminism and privilege are touchy subjects, but I hope I did sort of okay. :) I wanted to have Allura defend Pidge this go-round because we don't really see the princess that much fight on an individual paladin's behalf, especially to other royalty. Also, I wanted the fight to be more political than physical. Physical fights will come, I promise. :D

Please review.


	11. Chapter 11: Pinky Swear Part I

**ZaffreBat17:** Yes, let's! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Ireland Scott of Broh:** Haha! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Thank you very much and thank you for the prompt! :)

 **Triscribe:** Allura is a force of nature when pushed. I really liked her in that last chapter, too. :) And thank you for your approval. I have to admit I was quite hesitant to post Chapter 10, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you!

 **rainbowrider1290:** Thanks, hon. I appreciate that. When you suggested your prompt, I immediately thought of Aang from ATLA. :D I will, for sure, keep writing.

 **Sparklesona:** Thank you. I feel like Pidge is downplayed a bit in the cartoon but, to me at least, she doesn't seem like the kind of person to take crap lying down. I will continue to update, if sporadically. :)

 **Eveecat1248:** Technically, she's done that already (Chapter 8) but I'll see what I can do. :)

 **Guest:** I'm glad you like. Thank you!

 **Cielmatica:** Oh wow! Thank you! Thank you all around for your kind words. :D And thank you for the prompt.

 **Snowfallfrost:** Will do, and thank you!

 **Rookblonkorules:** (Chapters 6, 8 and 10) Thank you so much! I am a serious nerd and I make references in just about everything I write (everything from _Harry Potter_ to _Star Wars_ ). I kind of make a game out of it: see who notices; because some are more subtle than others. Unfortunately, I don't have prizes. :/

 **Roseflora17** (Chapter 1): Thank you! Funnily enough, I have a short fic already in the works for your exact prompt. Maybe I'll do an arc with that in this fic instead? :)

 **Ranger McCorken:** His head...and maybe a bit of his torso...and probably the wall behind him. The back of his chair, for sure. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **PaladinofVoltron:** I have a thing or two already in the works. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Aw! Thank you!

 **Chemical X:** Yay for returning! Thank you. I admit that I was nervous about posting Chapter 10 because of the exact thing you said I didn't do. I was worried it would come across as just another 'Pidge is hated because she's a girl' fic. I really tried (and am glad you thought I succeeded) to incorporate other aspects than just some guy hating (or hitting) on Pidge. Thank you. :)

 **WarDrums:** Thank you! Protective angst is what I live for, honestly. And I love Allura because, sure she's a princess (instant trope alert!) but she's a butt-kicking, awesome princess. :D

 **ally-dash.77:** Thank you so much! I love that you love it. :)

 **windscryer** (Chapters 1-10): I may or may not have squealed with delight when I woke up and found my review count had jumped ten overnight, and I thank you. :D

 **Author's Note:** Did you know that a person can survive the vacuum of Space for up to two minutes? You lose consciousness after less than fifteen seconds, though. Source: (FFnet is being stupid but it's under _scientificamerican_ ) article/survival-in-space-unprotected-possible

 _Chapter 11: Pinky Swear_

Keith made his slow and cautious way through the dimly-lit, bloodied corridors of the Aafrigoran ship. His bayard-sword was ready in his hand, the light gleaming off the red-and-silver blade in a way that made it look like it already dripped with blood. Sweat gathered at the back of his neck, slicking his hair, and his heart pounded in its cage of bones.

 _"Anything?"_ Shiro asked through the coms.

 _"Nope,"_ Lance answered.

"Nothing yet," Keith whispered back.

 _"Uh, guys?"_ Hunk said. _"I'm at a door but there's no lock pad. I can't go any further."_

 _"Is there any way through? What do you see?"_ asked Shiro.

There was a moment's pause. _"Nothing. There's nothing…wait. There looks like some kind of camera in the ceiling."_

 _"Hey! Maybe it's like a prison block and all doors are operated from a security control centre?"_

Keith hid in a small alcove while a guard strolled by but he did hear Shiro say, _"Lance, that's probably the best idea you've come up with."_

 _"Thanks, man. I try."_

Keith huffed and rolled his eyes. "Who's closest to security?"

It was a few seconds before Shiro said, _"Lance is."_

 _"On my way!"_

 _"In the meantime, Keith, you and I will keep looking for Pidge. Hunk, head back to the Lions and safeguard our exit."_

 _"You got it."_ There was a dull hum as Hunk took the safety off his blaster.

 _"Keith? Continue on your present course. Search every cranny. Pidge might've gotten out already."_

"Yeah," he murmured under his breath. "She does like her vents."

But she wasn't in the vents, not that he could tell. There were no scrapes or marks around the grates, and no disturbed dust beyond the bars. Keith moved on, trying to ignore the green gore on the metal floors, his sword at the ready and his heart beating a staccato.

 _Come on, Pidge. Where are you?_

It was supposed to have been a simple rescue op: the Galra had commandeered a transport vessel of supplies to Aafrigor, killing the crew. An unlucky Aafrigoran ensign had gotten off a distress signal to the Castle of Lions before she'd been cut down, and the Paladins had responded instantly. What they hadn't been prepared for was the Galra taking the supplies' destination's people hostage. Over two thousand families on the brink of starvation with armed drones at their backs and aiming at their heads.

It had been Pidge's plan to use Green's tech to scramble the drones' coding, and when the drones had dropped like harmless flies, the stampede had been terrifying: men, women and children had scattered in every direction, screaming and shouting; the Galra soldiers had opened fire, aiming for the Paladins and not caring who they hit.

In the chaos, the Paladins had lost track of each other, and when they had regrouped, they found Pidge missing and the Aafrigoran ship fleeing the atmosphere.

Keith willed his heart to calm. Pidge had survived before while in Galra hands. This time would be no different.

This time would be no different.

Voices up ahead forced him to duck back around a corner. "Quit your noise, human scum. No one's going to hear you."

The only reply was a barely audible bang, as if soft flesh pounded concrete…or really thick metal.

"Come on, Chizna," another grumbled. "She can't hear you through the door. Our shift's almost over and there's a suyo roll in the mess with my name on it."

Keith peeked an eye around the corner in time to see two Galra guards trot away, their rifles over their shoulders instead of alert in their hands. He waited until their laughs were long out of earshot and then crept toward the cell door.

Except it wasn't a cell.

It was an airlock. Aafrigoran blood smeared the walls and floor, leaving Keith little doubt as to why there was so much blood and no bodies of the Aafrigorans.

The banging had started up again, slow and steady like a drumbeat. Peering through the small viewing window, he spotted a familiar head of brown hair down by the floor. "Pidge! Guys, guys, I got her! I got eyes on Pidge!" While the others rejoiced in his ears, he knocked furiously on the reinforced glass and waved at Pidge who lifted her head, meeting his eyes.

The smile that broke across her face could have been the full light of dawn; it shed the darkness from her eyes, brightening the despair and fear to relief and joy. In the two hours that Pidge had been missing, Keith only now realised how much he had missed that smile.

The door was too thick for verbal words to get through but he talked anyway. "Hey, kid. Don't you worry. We're going to get you out, okay?"

Instead of answering, Pidge got to her feet – where was her armour? She was clothed in purplish-grey rags and…they had beaten her! A split lip, a bruised cheek, a bleeding brow that no longer bled, a blue-green and swollen eye, and numerous other contusions littered her face, arms and even her neck. Keith's blood boiled at the sight of their fourteen-year-old teammate. He was going to _murder_ every Galra on this ship. Just like they had murdered the Aafrigorans.

But Pidge interrupted that thought when she pointed to something behind him. Whipping around to take out an enemy, Keith halted to find no one. He turned back to her, his brows low over his eyes in question. She pointed again, her finger pressed flat to the glass. _Look, look_ – he could read on her lips.

Keith frowned and looked again, only this time he saw what she meant: a ticker mounted on the wall gleamed with red numbers.

112

111

110

Was that…a timer? For what? Keith looked to Pidge again. "What does it mean?" His heart missed a beat when she pointed to the metal door that was the only thing that separated her from the vacuum of Space.

Panic lasted a fraction of a second before he was talking into the coms: "They've got her locked in an airlock. There's a ticker. It's counting down. We have…one hundred and two ticks left before she's blown out."

Over the roar of outrage and fear, Keith remained calm. "Lance. Please tell me you're close to that security control centre."

The sound of blasters nearly blew out Keith's eardrums from the open com-link. _"Working on it! They must've known we were coming. I've got thirty Galra here defending the centre like it's freaking Fort Knox!"_ There was an ' _ugh_ ' and a ' _take that!_ ' then, _"Can't you use your bayard to break her out?"_

"The door's too thick. And if security's watching then they'll just blow her out early. Shiro? Shiro, what do we do?"

Keith had never heard his leader sound so defeated than he did now. _"I don't know. I don't know. Stay with her, though, okay? Don't leave her alone. Everybody, set your tickers. We don't want to cut this too close. Lance, I'm heading to you."_

He was distracted by Pidge knocking on the glass. She was so small that only the top half of her face could be seen. She was probably on her tiptoes, too.

Keith heard the metallic footsteps of enemy feet before he saw them. Giving Pidge a backwards glance, he mouthed, _I'll be back_ , then raced forward.

The Garrison had instilled in him an incredible sense of time. His inner clock counted down the precious moments he didn't have to fight with the drones.

83

82

81

80

At least he knew that ticks were longer than seconds. Not by much, of course, but he had just less than two minutes. Lance had just less than two minutes.

Pidge had just less than two minutes.

The drones didn't expect him to rush them. With surprise on his side, he cut them down swiftly and ruthlessly. He absently wondered – as he dodged a rifle blast and used the wall as a stepping stone to come at his opponent from the air – if this was how Hunk made their meals or how Pidge tinkered on her Lion. Just as accurate and efficient. His clock warned him that he had forty-four ticks left, and it was with more savagery than usual that he beheaded the last drone and returned to Pidge.

"You okay?" he asked, making sure his mouth formed the words for her to read.

She shrugged and pointed at him.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Don't you worry about me. Shiro and Lance are going to bust you out soon, okay?"

Pidge's eyes darted away and Keith slammed a fist against the glass, startling her.

"Hey! Don't give up now, Pidge! Don't you dare!"

32

"We've got too much to do. You hear me? You've got too much to do."

Pidge glanced past him to the ticker on the wall. The bruises and blood looked all the worse on her face when despair crawled into her eyes. From out of a pocket in the rags, she pulled a worn photograph. Keith knew what the picture was of because he had seen it a dozen times before: Pidge with long hair standing beside a young man with the same-coloured hair and same-coloured eyes.

27

Keith watched her look at the photo, fondness softening her forehead and eyes. Then she folded it in half.

23

She pressed it to the glass and pointed to the young man, to her brother, Matt. Her expression was filled with such sadness that Keith wanted to scream at her some more because, no! Pidge mustn't give up! She wasn't going to die today!

Keith shook his head.

19

"No, Pidge, no." He pointed to her. "You're going to find him. You are! Not me."

Pidge didn't say anything. She just kept her finger on Matt's part of the picture. She didn't say anything but Keith knew begging when it stared him in the eyes.

 _"We're almost there, Keith!"_ Shiro suddenly called in his ear. _"Almost there! Lance, take that guy out!"_

11

Pidge was still staring at Keith. He shook his head again but not as fervently. Who could say no to those eyes? Who could say no to a friend's last request?

Slowly, his shake turned to a nod. "Okay. Okay. I'll find him."

Pidge nodded once and rested her pinky finger against the glass.

A pinky swear.

Keith didn't even have the heart to hesitate, nor did he have the control to hold back the tears that welled in his eyes. He lifted his own hand and crossed pinkies with his teammate. "I swear, Pidge," he rasped. "I'll find him. I'll find him for you."

His friend nodded and brought the photo to her chest, cradling it in hands that trembled.

5

Pidge looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

4

 _"Shiro! The door's clear! Get in there!"_

3

 _"Hang on, Pidge!"_ Shiro, Hunk and Lance all shouted.

2

Keith rested his head against the glass and his tears fell. _"I'm sorry, Katie,"_ he whispered.

1

Pidge stretched up and pressed her hand to the window. She wasn't smiling. She was crying. Fearful, terrified.

Alone.

0

There was a beep and a soundless rush of air, and Pidge flew backward, still clutching her picture.

"PIDGE!" Keith screamed.

His scream was cut off when a massive Red Lion appeared from out of nowhere and swallowed Pidge.

His rage turned to triumph, his grief to elation. He felt as if his skin would burst apart as his heart tried to gallop out of his ribcage.

"Red! Red, Red, Red!" Keith couldn't help but weep even as he jumped for joy, pounding his fists on the door. "Shiro! Open the airlock! Red caught Pidge! I repeat: Red has Pidge!"

Keith engaged his helmet, sheathed his bayard, and used the doorway to launch himself forward when the metal door slid open with a hiss of hydraulics. "Red!" he yelled, and his Lion caught him the same way she had caught Pidge. He fidgeted as the cabin re-pressurized and then woosh, the hatch leading into the cockpit opened overhead and Keith was lifted upward by the platform in the floor.

Pidge was already there, the tears on her face having evaporated, lying prone on the metal floor.

"Pidge?" Keith tore his helmet off and gathered her up in his arms. "Pidge? Katie? Katie!"

 _Easy, my Paladin,_ Red soothed. Her voice was a balm to his weary heart. _Green's Paladin lives. Green's Paladin heart is strong and she is breathing. Green's Paladin should regain consciousness soon. Green Paladin will be fine._

 _"Keith? Keith, come in!"_ he heard Shiro call from the coms in his helmet.

"Red, patch us through!" Keith called as he hefted Pidge up. Geez, the kid was light! He sat down in the pilot's seat, Pidge curled in his lap. "Shiro, can you hear me?"

 _"Loud and clear. Keith, what happened? You cut out and all we heard was your order to open the airlock. Do you have Pidge?"_

"Yeah. Yeah, I got her. Red caught her. She's alive, she's breathing, she's going to be fine."

Now came the hollers. Hunk and Lance hooted and huzzah'd and Keith heard Shiro's choked sigh.

 _"Okay, guys. Head back to the Lions. Let's get out of here."_

"They took her uniform," Keith interrupted.

 _"I got it,"_ said Lance. _"The idiots left it at security, like it was a freaking Lost and Found."_

In Keith's arms, Pidge stirred, moaning. "Keith?"

Keith smiled down at her. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"My tongue feels weird," she said, her eyes peeling open.

"I think that's normal. You were in Space's vacuum for barely ten seconds."

"D'you catch me?"

"Red did."

"Oh." A weary smile tugged at Pidge's mouth, and she manoeuvered a hand out to stroke what she could reach of the chair. "Thanks, Red."

Keith smiled at Red's rumbling purr. "She says 'anytime' but I don't think she wants you to take her up on it."

Pidge chuckled weakly and snuggled closer. "Thank you, Keith."

"For what?" From his position, he could see the Black, Blue, and Yellow Lions take off. He reached forward with his free hand to flick a switch, allowing the others to dock if they chose.

Pidge lifted her hand and curled her pinky around his.

"Oh. Well, yeah. It's not like I'm going to go back on it because you're, you know, alive."

Her smile widened a fraction at that. "Can't go back on it anyway," she mumbled. "Pinky swears are unbreakable."

"Sure, Pidge," Keith said. "Unbreakable."

-:-

Please review.


	12. Chapter 12: Pinky Swear Part II

**Author's Note:** Thank you all who read, follow, favourite and review! Thank you all so much for your enthusiastic and heart-warming reviews, though I feel I must apologise for Chapter 11 because I got 3 'Holy crap's, 7 reviews with several all caps, and a few near heart attacks. So, uh, yeah. I'm sorry.

In other news, I wasn't going to add anything pertaining to "Pinky Swear", nor was I going to post anything within a day of my previous post but... This one's for you, **Triscribe**! I saw your review and the plot bunnies started multiplying. :D

 _Chapter 12: Pinky Swear Part II_

Keith was crying. One of her only friends in the 'verse cried and it would be the last sight she would ever see.

At least he would find Matt. Her brother would be safe. Keith would find him, take care of him like he and the others had taken care of her. Matt would be okay because Keith would make sure of it. He'd pinky sworn.

But he was still crying, and his tears tore at her heart just as the countdown hit zero and the beep tore at her eardrums, and space ripped her away...

Pidge's eyes snapped open, her entire body rigid. Her heart hammered in her throat and ears. She held still, unwilling to close her eyes yet trying to relax her body. She trembled, her muscles protesting.

 _Go away,_ she snarled at the nightmare – the memory.

It lurked in her brain, hovering on the edge and waiting for sleep to claim her again so that it could pounce. Again. And again.

"Go away," she begged. She knew she was safe on the Castle of Lions, she knew she was safe, she was, but her mind refused to believe; and every time she closed her eyes, she saw the ticker's red numbers and Keith's tears.

 _My Paladin?_ Green's groggy tone whiffled through Pidge's thoughts. _My Paladin, what is the matter? Why is my Paladin awake?_

Pidge clutched her head and whimpered. _I can't get it out,_ she moaned. _It keeps coming back. Green…_

Green knew immediately what was wrong and had a solution ready: _Come to Green, my Paladin. My Paladin can sleep with Green. Green will keep the nightmare away. Come to Green. My Paladin can do it._

Pidge forced her body to move, to grab hold of the blankets and throw them back, to swing her legs over the bed's side, to stand. She fought back the unsteadiness in her knees and walked to the door which opened automatically for her, hydraulics ssshhhhing – just like the airlock door.

"Oh, no. Oh, no." Pidge stumbled against the doorframe and slid down it, feeling airlessness sucking at her. _Don't breathe, don't breathe. Breathe and you're dead._ Her head spun but she knew that one fact from lectures at the Garrison: when facing the vacuum unprotected, exhale as much as possible and don't breathe in because the oxygen will expand in your lungs and then your lungs will explode and _don't breathe, Pidge. Don't breathe…_

 _My Paladin? My Paladin, answer Green. Answer Green now!_

Water and blackness welled in her eyes, and she didn't even hear the four bangs of heavy bodies hitting the floor in the rooms up and down the hall, nor did she hear the whoosh of four doors simultaneously opening.

But she did hear the voices: "'Kay, did anybody else's Lion just scream at them or am I just special?"

"No, man, Yellow screamed at me, too. Anyone know what's up?"

"Pidge? Holy - ! Pidge! Pidge, Pidge, look at me. Can you hear me?"

"What's wrong with her? What happened?"

"I don't think she's breathing!"

"Pidge. Feel that?" Something caressed her face, stirring her hair. "Feel that? It's air. It's air, Pidge. You can breathe. You're okay. Open your eyes, Pidge."

She dared to inhale the tiniest bit before obeying the last command. Air. It was air. There was air here. She wasn't in the vacuum. She opened her eyes.

Colours blurred together above her, white and browns and blues and purples, and slowly separated, clearing…

"W'happned?" she groaned.

"You had a panic attack," Shiro said carefully, his arms supporting her. "Are you okay? What hurts?"

"Mm…head…"

"Oxygen deprivation will do that. Do you know where you are?"

Pidge thought about it. "Castle…right?"

"That's right. That's exactly right. You're safe, Pidge. You're okay."

"What were you trying to do?" Lance ventured, shifting his weight.

"Get t'Green. Was gonna sleep in th'hangar."

"Nightmares?" asked Shiro.

Pidge stiffened and she forced herself to take a breath. Good air, lovely air, very present air.

Shiro's grip tightened around her gently, pulling her a bit closer to his chest. She could hear his pounding heart. "You don't have to tell us right now," he assured her. "But we're here when you need us, okay?"

Pidge nodded.

"You still want to go to Green?"

She nodded again.

"Okay. Up we get." Shiro managed to stand with her in his arms. "Lance, get a few blankets for her."

"And a pillow!" Hunk added, following his best friend.

As Shiro carried her down the hall, Pidge was aware of Keith tagging along behind, his eyes downcast and his mouth a tight line.

Green's anxiety eased the closer they got and when they finally stepped into the hangar, the Lion rumbled a purr, lowering her ramp. _My Paladin,_ she crooned, _scared Green. What is Green going to do with my Paladin? Hm?_

Shiro carried her aboard and settled her onto the cockpit's floor. Lance and Hunk appeared seconds later with armfuls of quilts and pillows, and proceeded to make a nest.

"There!" Lance proclaimed, nodding at his work. "You should be comfy-kiddly-cozy in here."

Pidge plucked at a blanket and mumbled, "Stay?"

The guys all shared glances.

"We're gonna need more blankets," Hunk said with a smile.

"On it!" Lance raced out.

Within minutes, the five of them were curled up in one big nest on the floor of the Green Lion's cockpit, Pidge in the middle.

"Allura's gonna have kittens when she can't find us in the morning," Lance quipped with a yawn.

"I'll talk to her," said Shiro. "See if we can put off training for a day or two."

"Pancakes good for breakfast tomorrow?" Hunk offered.

"Sounds good," Pidge murmured. "It all sounds good."

They dropped off, one by one, but Pidge stayed awake until Green said, _Red's Paladin is still awake, my Paladin._

Good.

Pidge wiggled out of her spot and crawled over Lance's legs to where Keith lay at the edge of the nest. "Keith?" she whispered.

He sat up, purple eyes near-black in the darkness. "Yeah?"

Pidge fumbled in the dark for a moment and found his hand. Winding her pinky around his, she asked, "Smile for me?"

The question threw him. "Why?"

"Because I almost died and you crying was the last thing I was supposed to see."

For a brief second, she thought she had overstepped when Keith jerked back, his body tense. Keith was an emotionally complicated guy and far more awkward socially than she was. But then Keith shifted closer and used his free hand to wrap around the back of her head, bringing her forehead to his. He let her go after a moment and smiled at her and oh, how it reminded her of Matt: shy and tentative and dorky. So dorky.

"I am happy you're safe, Pidge," he told her and his breath stirred her hair like it had outside her room. Good air, good Keith. Very present air, very present Keith. She was safe, he was happy, and nobody was crying.

Pidge fell asleep to the sound of breathing and Green's gentle purr.

-:-

Please review. :)


	13. Chapter 13: Formal Dress Part I

**ZaffreBat17:** (Chapter 11) TheRedScreech would never kill. TheRedScreech would only maim or seriously injure. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **YourOwnBeat1307:** (Chapter 11) Yay! I love that you love it! Thank you! :)

 **Guest:** (Chapter 11) Thank you so much!

 **Rose Londelis:** (Chapters 11 and 12) I'm happy you're happy. :) Thank you very much!

 **rainbowrider1290:** (Chapters 11 and 12) Hahah! Your comments are amazing! Sorry for making you wail and implode. Thank you! I don't mind if you comment in other languages. I understand French and Spanish, but I've had comments in Greek before. Had to use Google translate for that. :)

 **windscryer:** (Chapter 11) Hahaha! Thank you! I love Keith and Pidge, too. Their relationship fascinates me. :) Red was in the background like, "My pilot is freaking out! I must stop my pilot from freaking out or I'm going to freak out with him!" so she swooped in and saved Pidge. I agree that the paladins need backpack leashes. ;)

 **Sage McGavin:** (Chapter 11) I scared a lot of people, apparently. Sorry. :/ Thank you for reviewing!

 **kendertaunt:** (Chapter 11) Wow! Thank you! That's so kind! :)

 **McCorkren:** (Chapter 11) True. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Sparklesona:** (Chapter 11) Thank you!

 **Azilia James:** (Chapter 11) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** (Chapter 11) Holy crap! Thank you! :D

 **Guest:** (Chapter 7) That's an interesting solution. I never thought of that. Thank you for reviewing! :)

 **Trsicribe:** (Chapter 11) I am aware of all of this but it's always nice to hear it. ;) Honestly, I just wrote how I saw it play out in my head. The ticker kept counting down and Keith couldn't do anything and I thought, _Am I seriously about to kill Pidge?_ But then Red was like _NOPE!_ and totally saved the day. I had no plan at all for that chapter (or Chapter 12). It just kind of...happened. Chapter 12 is dedicated to you. I hope you liked it. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Thank you!

 **Graham Crackers Are Awesome:** I did not mean to make you cry. :( But I'm glad you're enjoying my fic. :) Thank you!

 **avidbeader:** (Chapter 11 and 12) Wow! Thank you! I can see why you'd hold a fear of being spaced. :) At least you can survive up to two minutes.

 **Thebooknerdgeek:** Thank you very much!

 **StarRebel6:** (Chapters 11 and 12) I'm sorry that I made you sad. :( They are totally one big family, you're right! Thank you!

 **LeNolaNamiko:** Thank you! I'm pleased you thought so. :)

 **TMNT-Queen:** Noo! *Cries and brings you back from the dead* It's wonderful to hear from you, m'dear! Thank you for your kind words. :)

 **Alkirian:** (Chapters 11 and 12) I'm sorry! I agree on every point you made. Thank you, and you are more than welcome. :)

 **Guest:** Thank you!

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you!

 **Leo-TheHunter:** Hahaha! Thank you so much! :)

 **Star-The-Writer:** I promise to do more. *Pinky swears* If I ever complete this, I will absolutely let you all know which will be the final chapter. I honestly don't see that happening in the near future so hooray for more Pidge fics! Thank you for your kind words. :)

 **WarDrums:** Sorry about the feels! Thank you! I really do love working with Keith. He's such a puzzle to me. :)

 **Ireland Scott of BROH:** Aww, I'm sorry. *Hufflepuff hug* Thank you for reviewing!

 **PipeDreamPrayer:** (Chapters 1-3) Thank you for your wonderful comments. I'm sorry for unsettling you in Chapter 3.

 **Guest:** I will take your prompt and run with it! :D Thank you!

 **Guest:** I'm sorry for torturing your heart! :( Thank you for reviewing!

 **Ikari Starknight:** A couple people cried during "Pinky Swear" so it's not your fault if you did. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** Congratulations to **StarRebel6** for being the 200th review! 200 reviews, guys! Thank you so much! Thank you all who have favourited and followed this fic in recent weeks. :D

For **Roseflora17** : I had this one in the works already but your prompt made me make this arc part of _TSBBL_. Enjoy.

 _Chapter 13: Formal Dress, Part I_

Ipryn was free at last from Galra rule, and what better way to celebrate than with a party? And not just any party, this gala, this ball, this shindig would go down in history.

And it would. For entirely different reasons.

"Do I seriously have to wear this?"

Allura's smile was nothing short of a cat's simper as she replied, "Yes, Lance. As one of the Paladins of Voltron, you should be open-minded about different cultures."

The four male paladins and Coran were in one great fitting room, and each had three attendants to help them dress. Allura, dressed and ready an hour ago, stood off to the side so she wasn't in the way, but that didn't stop Lance from trying to argue with her.

"But, but, Allura! It's so…" Lance trailed off, trying to find the right word.

"Flowy?" Keith offered from his pedestal several feet away.

"Yes! Thank you, Keith! It's too flowy! I'm a man, for goodness' sake!"

"Oh, be quiet," Allura purred. "Coran, Shiro and Hunk aren't complaining." She waved a hand to where they stood quietly and obediently as their respective armies dressed them

"That's because they actually look good," grumbled Lance.

It was true. For some strange reason, the robes appeared to suit the broader physiques of their larger comrades. Lance and Keith, both slender, stood in the cascades of material with unmasked dread.

Allura sighed. "I'm off to see how Pidge is doing. I trust you will be ready by the time we're announced?"

All fifteen attendants inclined their heads and said in perfect, eerie unison, "Yes, Your Highness."

"Excellent," and with that, she turned and strode from the chamber.

Pidge was only a couple doors down and had no fewer than five attendants gathered about her when Allura walked in.

"Princess! Rescue me!" Pidge wailed, trying to wiggle past the Ipryn females that fought to get her to stand still.

"Green Paladin, be reasonable," one chided.

"I am being reasonable! I refuse to be dressed up like a doll and paraded about!"

"Could you give us a moment, please, ladies?" Allura asked.

All five nodded and curtsied. "Yes, Your Highness," they said and scurried away.

With them gone, Allura finally got her first good look at Pidge. Straightaway, her attention was drawn to the girl's hair – wild sprigs sticking out, clearly threatening to swallow any brush or pin – but then Allura made herself look at the rest of her and she beamed.

The colours Queen Jura had picked out had been spot-on. Pidge shone like a vision. The double-layered skirt stopped an inch above the floor, the green, top skirt shorter and parting down the middle to reveal the gold beneath. The bodice was the same with the green material open for the gold, and the ivory sleeves fell to the elbow with all the fluidity of a waterfall. Despite the fact that Pidge was still a growing girl, the Ipryn dress didn't swallow her as the robes did Lance and Keith. It was a miracle.

Pidge's hands were stiff at her sides as she swung them. "I feel kinda silly," she admitted.

Allura smiled gently and drifted toward her. "You look wonderful."

"Wonderful _and silly_. I haven't worn a dress in a year and it's…it's really dressy."

"Dresses tend to be like that," Allura said, trying very hard not to tease. She watched Pidge pluck at the overskirt before smoothing it out.

"Yeah. Sorry. I guess I'm just nervous."

"It's all right to be nervous. Here. Turn around and I'll do up the lacings."

Pidge's eyes flew wide. "But, but what about the attendants?"

"They'll live. And it is my duty and honour to look after my paladins."

"Oh." It took a second for Pidge to obey and then Allura's quick fingers were sliding and weaving through the ivory ribbons. "Not too tight."

"Of course." Allura smiled and Pidge smiled back over her shoulder.

"Can I at least have my headband?"

 _Good Stars, save me from paranoid Paladins,_ Allura thought. "No, Pidge. Head coverings are for war among the Ipryn. You would do Their Majesties a great insult if you wore anything on your head."

Pidge frowned, wrinkling her nose. "Party pooper."

Allura ignored that and called back only one of the Ipryn attendants to assist with Pidge's hair. The Altean princess did most of the work, taking the pins the demure Ipryn passed her with a nod, and Pidge fell silent.

Within twenty minutes, she was ready.

-:-:-:-

Pidge was surprised at how light and airy the dress was; she had nearly screamed when it had originally been presented, horrors blooming of constricted lungs and immovable legs; but the Ipryn people had a love for freedom of movement and Pidge could only thank her lucky stars that that was the case.

The quintet of Ipryn attendants guided them through the corridors to a set of ornate double doors. Coran stood there waiting, dressed in Ipryn's finest. Pidge absently thought that the silver and thundercloud-grey made him look uncommonly sombre if regal.

He bowed first to Allura and then inclined his head to the attendants. "Thank you," he said, dismissing them. "The paladins were just announced," he added to Allura. "Princess?" He offered his arm.

With a radiant smile, Allura took his arm and then turned to Pidge.

"Remember what I told you," she said. "Kick the dress out as you walk, and lift the hem when you go up and down stairs."

"'Cause that's all I need: a trip down the stairs," Pidge mumbled.

"You'll be fine," Allura assured her. "Ready?"

"No?"

"Too bad." Allura grinned. "Stand there, wait ten ticks, and then follow."

Coran winked at Pidge encouragingly and promptly rapped his knuckles on the door. "Princess Allura of Altea and escort, Coran," he informed the Ipryn version of a chamberlain who opened the door a crack.

The tall female nodded once to Coran, nodded to someone beyond the door, and both doors swept wide ( _Do they only do that for royalty?_ Pidge wondered). Coran led Allura through as the chamberlain announced, "Princess Allura of Altea and escort, Coran!"

The doors swept closed the instant they passed through and Pidge bit her lip as she counted in her head.

Ten ticks. Show time. Her hand trembled as she tapped on the door. Wait a minute, what was she supposed to say? This was a formal gathering with alien royalty – Pidge Gunderson was not her real name!

Expecting the door to crack open, she started when the right door opened fully. "The Green Paladin, Miss Katherine Holt of Earth!" the chamberlain proclaimed.

Sweat pooled in her palms. She was shaking. Oh, geez, she was going to throw up.

What noise there was in the ballroom died, and she heard Lance's hissed, "What did she say?"

"Deep breaths, Pidge. Deep breaths," Pidge told herself and crossed the threshold.

The chamberlain smiled at her as she went by and Pidge felt her chest loosen and her shoulders square. She lifted her chin and beheld the ballroom as everyone beheld her.

The first thing that went through her head was _Lance looks like an idiot in Ipryn robes_ and she narrowly avoided snickering.

Carefully lifting the hem just a little, Pidge descended the wide staircase.

 _Don't fall, don't fall, don't look down. Stairs are built by engineers who have to construct them identically. Don't look down. The stair will be there for your feet, don't worry. Don't look down. Don't fall._

For some idiotic reason, Hunk was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. She took one look into his face, tripped, and _Oh quizna- !_

The crowd gasped and -

Hunk caught her! "Gotcha! Wow, Pidge. I was wondering if that was you or not." He set her on her feet gently to applause. He used the noise to continue, grinning at her. "Totally you, though. It was hard to tell with the hair and the dress and stuff. I was beginning to think that Allura switched you with a clone." He chuckled, the lug-head, and Pidge had yet to let go of his arm because she was still shaking.

He patted her hand and let her keep hold of him as he guided her along the bright orange rug to King Fiw and Queen Jura, just as they had practiced. Three steps from the dais, he released her and she walked the rest of the way. Allura had spent hours training Pidge to curtsey and the boys to bow correctly, per Ipryn customs. Despite Allura's tutelage, however, Pidge wobbled dangerously as she curtsied. At least the king and queen had the decency to nod quickly rather than force her to hold for a moment.

"Green Paladin," King Fiw said, his voice echoing through the room, "you honour us with your bravery and courage. We thank you and your brethren for your kindness in liberating us from Galra rule."

Pidge curtsied again and immediately forgot what Allura had told her to say in response. "Uh…" _Come on, think. Think!_ "You're welcome?"

Chuckles rippled through the assembly, and in her peripheral, she saw Allura press her lips tightly together and Shiro face-palm.

Neither of the monarchs seemed upset because they both smiled.

"Enjoy the festivities, Paladin Katherine," Queen Jura said, her large, white eyes twinkling.

"Thank you, Your Majesties." Pidge curtsied once more and stepped back.

Music kicked up from somewhere and the crowd began to mingle as soon as the king and queen rose.

Pidge darted away, still trembling, her entire face hot. She did not want to face Allura's disappointment. Finding a quiet spot along the wall, she leaned against it, her legs threatening to give out.

"Pidge!" Hunk found her, brown and yellow robes swishing. "You okay? You were awfully pale when you were addressing the monarchs."

"I'm fine," Pidge squeaked.

"Hey, Pidge! Hunk, nice catch!" Lance called as he sauntered over. Good grief, he really did look awful! His pale blue and silver robes billowed around him, and Pidge suspected the Ipryn had tried to create the illusion of waves. Well, they had succeeded. Sort of. Lance resembled a tsunami with a head. "Hey, Miss Katherine! Do you fall for guys that easily?"

"Pidge," she corrected automatically. "And shut up."

"Whatever. Hey, so there's a buffet over there. Can I fetch anything for your Pretty Prettiness?" He bowed, the jerk.

Pidge snarled at him. "I have my bayard, you moron."

"You do not! Not in that foofaraw!"

"That's what you think. This thing has pockets!"

Lance looked affronted. "Did you seriously bring your paladin weapon to a party?"

"I distinctly remember the last time we had a party," Pidge shot back. "The memories only encourage me."

"Okay! Debate's over!" Hunk interrupted and dragged Pidge away. "Let's get some food in you. You sound like you need it." He looked at her sidelong and added, "Do you really have your bayard?"

Pidge glared up at him. "Don't give me that! I know for a fact that Shiro and Keith are both armed, and if they are, why can't I be?"

"Oh, yeah, you're definitely our Pidge." Hunk grinned at her and Pidge rolled her eyes but was quickly sidetracked by the buffet table. "I'll get a couple of chairs," he said as an afterthought and walked away.

Pidge grabbed a bowl of purple pudding and dug in.

"You're going to ruin your makeup, eating like that," a voice chided her.

Pidge glared daggers up at Shiro who looked absurdly handsome in black and silver robes. "Don't care," she growled around her mouthful. Several nearby partiers sniffed disdainfully and turned away.

"You really do hate parties, don't you?"

"Shut up."

"Is it the dress?"

"No. It's…nice? Don't tell the Queen!"

Shiro smiled and held up a hand. "Scout's honour. You do look great, though."

"Yeah." Pidge scowled at Lance who was talking with Keith. Keith looked just as bad as Lance did in male Ipryn garb, and she wondered if they'd look any better in dresses. Probably not. "Thanks."

"Lance get to you already? Is that a new record or something?"

"Probably."

"Here's your chair, Pidge! Oh, hey, Shiro!" Hunk grinned. "What'd you think of our Pidge walkin' in, huh? I think my jaw hit the floor."

Pidge blushed fiercely and felt for the bayard in her underskirt's pocket. "Hunk," she warned.

Shiro glanced at Pidge and shook his head. Wait. Did he know she was armed? But he turned to Hunk and said, "I'm sure Lance's ego will never be the same. He's so used to being the prettiest."

Hunk boomed with laughter and Shiro chuckled along.

"If you guys need me, I'm going to hide behind the drapes with my pudding," Pidge bit out and stalked away.

She knew Hunk tried to follow her but Shiro held him back. "Let her go. She's not used to the spotlight."

She heard Hunk sigh. "We really should talk to Allura about what Pidge can stand," he said. "She can face down a Galra army and can whip up a satellite out of scraps, but she can't stand parties."

"Yeah. Come on. Let's leave her be for now."

Pidge found a curtained window as far from the main floor as possible, tucked her knees to her chest and finished her pudding. She had scoped out the entire ballroom days earlier and had planned this very spot as her refuge in case of, well, herself. She didn't blame Allura for accepting the Ipryn's invitations and for dressing her up like a doll. It would have been fine, more or less, except she had to make a spectacle of herself by tripping down the stairs and stammering in front of the planet's rulers. Her big moment and she'd blown it.

Not that Pidge cared, of course. She'd much rather be in Green's hangar tinkering or running facial scans for her dad and brother. She snorted to herself as she thought of her family being here. Matt would have waited for her at the bottom of the stairs instead of Hunk, and he would have immediately steered her away from Lance. He would have pigged out with her at the buffet, trying everything and anything because Matt was the least picky eater she knew. Dad would have been a board, all stiff and wooden. He liked parties okay but only if he knew more than five people. He, too, would have joined her and Matt eventually to eat and chat and smile. They both would have looked awful in Ipryn robes, too…

Pidge wiped beneath her eyes carefully and was relieved when her makeup didn't smudge. She didn't hate parties, per se, but she hated this one.

She finished off her dessert, using a finger to get the last of it, and set the bowl down by her feet. She was still hungry but she didn't want to attract attention and she definitely did not want anyone to know of her hiding place.

Her stomach protested.

"Fine," she grumbled, peering out between the drapes for the all-clear.

A group of Ipryn stood in front of her.

 _Oh, well,_ she thought. Her stomach would just have to wait…

Was that a gun? Pidge's eyes zeroed in on the male at the group's center. Stuffed into the back of the wide sash around his middle was a pistol of some kind. What kind of person brought a gun to a party?

Movement caught her eye and she watched in growing fear as the seven Ipryn in front of her pulled their robes' hoods over their heads.

 _Head coverings are for war,_ Princess Allura had mentioned.

Oh, quiz–

The lights shut off, plunging the whole ballroom into darkness. Several ladies screamed.

"Your Majesties!" a great voice boomed. "Brothers and Sisters of Ipryn! May I have your attention?"

Silence fell instantly and Pidge felt the rebel Ipryn move away from her spot. The lights flickered back on, but only a few of the auxiliary ones, leaving the room dim and shadowed, and Pidge could see that there were more than just the seven hooded rebels. Dozens stood amongst the assembly, covered heads low to obscure their faces but prominently displaying the hoods. Outrage sparked from a few of the partiers.

"What is the meaning of this?" King Fiw demanded where he stood on the dance floor with Princess Allura. "How dare you declare war in this time of celebration and gratitude?"

"How dare we? How. Dare. We?" The voice echoed, achingly loud, yet Pidge resisted the urge to cover her ears. "We remain true to Ipryn. We remain true to the truce offered by the Galra centuries ago. The question is: how dare you, Your Majesty, declare war on your brothers and sisters of Ipryn?"

"The Galra don't offer truces!" Princess Allura retorted, lifting her chin. Her white hair gleamed in the quarter-light. "They threaten and bully and kill for compliance. You are blind to your own enslavement!"

There was a brief pause before the voice said silkily, "We expected nothing less from the Altean traitor."

"Traitor?" Coran echoed, striding forward to stand with his sovereign leader. "You lying coward!"

"Be silent, escort. Keep your tongue behind your teeth or I will remove it."

"Perhaps, Brother," Queen Jura interrupted from her spot beside Hunk and Lance, "perhaps this might go easier for everyone if you stated your demands. You have our attention. What is it you want?"

"Freedom." Every hooded Ipryn in the room said it. Every hooded Ipryn raised the pistol or rifle they had concealed. Every hooded Ipryn took aim at different places in the crowd.

Pidge's heart hammered in her throat, awaiting the awful moment of slaughter but it never came. The gunfire glowed yellow – stunners – and a dozen bodies dropped: Allura, Coran, Shiro, Lance, Keith, Hunk, the king and queen, and four other Ipryn who Pidge guessed to be prominent courtiers or counsellors.

Ipryns yelled in horror but didn't dare move for fear those weapons would turn on them.

"Silence," the voice commanded, and was obeyed immediately. "Brothers and Sisters, we remove the threat to our civilisation. The Galra are coming. They will take the traitors of the universe and we will be rewarded. Long live Ipryn. Long live Zarkon."

Settling back into her niche behind the drapes, Pidge scowled. _Not if I have anything to say about it,_ she thought grimly.

"But what is this?" The voice was back. "There are only four Paladins here. Where is the fifth? Where is the Green Paladin?"

Pidge was easing her bayard out of her pocket when long, thick fingers peeled back the curtain an inch, and Pidge stared up into a pair of large, Ipryn eyes.

-:-

Please review. :)


	14. Chapter 14: Formal Dress Part II

**katiewinchester87:** Thank you! I hope it goes on for a long time, too. :) Sorry about the cliffhanger.

 **Alkirian:** Muahahah! Mine is an evil laugh! Thank you for reviewing!

 **ally-dash.77:** Oh, there's lots of Ipryn booty-kicking in this chapter! Thank you so much! Favourite author? Me? Wow! Thank you!

 **StarRebel6:** Thank you! Here you go!

 **Icy Icee:** Um...I spaced Pidge a couple chapters ago so I don't think I can promise you that I won't hurt her. :/ The dress has a few layers for skirts and petticoats so, light though it is, there won't be any ripping. Thank you for reviewing! :D

 **LaZybonez08:** Thank you for waiting and for reviewing! :)

 **AlecGateway:** *blushes and smiles* Aw, thank you! And thank you for the prompt.

 **Guest:** (Chapter 12) Sorry for shattering you. :'( But thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Glorious suspense! Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** She's gotten herself into a lot of trouble, that's what. *Eyes you back conspiratorially* Possible, Queen, m'dear. Very possible. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you!

 **ChemicalX:** *In Mole's voice from Disney's _Atlantis_ * "I'm so excited!" Plausible predictions. Read and find out! Thank you for reviewing!

 **kelli.n.c:** Aw! That's so sweet of you to say! Thank you! :)

 **Guest:** They actually know she's a girl but yeah, she's totally going to save the day! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** The Ipryn who found Pidge is a good guy. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Star-The-Writer:** It's amazing how introversion saves people! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Triscribe:** (Chapters 12 and 13) D'awww! Thank you! No, really, thank you! I saw your comment and I knew I had to do a follow-up. I'm glad you loved it. :D And, yes, I'm a sneaky devil. *shrug* I think you're going to enjoy this. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Sparklesona:** Thank you! Butt-kicking will ensue momentarily. :)

 **CocoMint:** Well...someone definitely hides her. :D Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** In my defense, a lot of these chapters are one-shots, but I do love my cliffhangers. :) Thank you for commenting on my world-building and characters! I really wanted to see what Pidge would do without her Olkari headband. She doesn't disappoint. :) Yeah. I had fun developping the Ipryn culture. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Rookblonkorules:** She's hilarious that way, isn't she? She hates dresses but she's definitely going to have to deal with this one. :D I just had to have her fall down the stairs and have Hunk catch her. Quick question: you said "a few brave Ipryns", can you define "a few" for me? Because I think I exceeded a few. ;) Thank you for reviewing and for the prompt!

 **rainbowrider1290:** Thank you! Pidge doesn't hate parties, per se, but she does hate this one for sure. I hate that about chapters, truly. It's exactly how you said it: "There are not enough words left for what needs to happen!" Hopefully, this works for you. Thank you for reviewing!

 _Chapter 14: Formal Dress, Part II_

Pidge's bayard caught in her pocket but that didn't mean she was completely unarmed. Her left hand curled into a fist but before she could punch, the Ipryn put a finger to her lips and released the curtain.

Pidge hardly dared to breathe. At least she knew that there were some here who would back her up. She had to get out of here, though. Get back to her room, fetch her armour and headband, and then come up with some kind of plan to stop a rebellion and an invasion at the same time. Oh, and she had to rescue her friends. That, too.

"Seal the exits and find her! Find the Green Paladin!"

Or not. There was no way she could make it to the nearest door in time, not when her competitors had guns and were used to running around in robes and gowns. She had to be smart about this…

 _Deep breaths, Pidge. Deep breaths,_ she told herself. _First step: how many enemies are there?_

She dared to peek, and her quick brain did a rapid estimate.

Twenty-six. Dang it. She had faced worse odds but she had always had Green or her team behind her. She had nothing except her bayard.

And a whole ballroom full of innocent Ipryn.

Another peek, another estimate, and Pidge felt better. Fifty-nine allies was a lot better than none.

She couldn't stay behind the drapes; the rebels would find her eventually. She had to move. She had to move now.

Trying to disturb the material as little as possible ( _Movement draws the eye,_ Lance had told her once), Pidge slid out into the open and kept low. The Ipryn who had not ratted her out glanced at her and was vaguely familiar in the dim light… The chamberlain! It was the lady who had announced and smiled at her at her grand entrance. She lifted her skirts a fraction and gestured slowly. Pidge had no time to hesitate and ducked under the wide, flowing skirt, grateful the species had large frames and that she was so small. She crouched around sturdy legs, on the balls of her feet, her bayard in one hand and her skirts bunched in the other.

She hated this dress so much right now!

The left foot tapped the floor twice, the soft shoe making no sound, and the unnamed chamberlain walked carefully forward. Pidge shuffled with her until they stopped. The darker shadow beside them alerted her to another Ipryn, and Pidge could only guess that they were conversing silently.

Yes! A foot slid beneath the dress and tapped three times.

Pidge watched, waiting, and wondered what she was supposed to do.

The foot tapped again, thrice.

With an unsure hand, Pidge tapped a finger along the foot's arch. Confirmation?

Confirmation. The foot retreated.

Purposeful strides outside of her safe-zone snatched Pidge's attention. She held her breath when footsteps drew close.

"Move the prisoners," said the Voice. Pidge really had to figure out who this rebel leader was. "Brothers and Sisters, kindly congregate yourselves in the middle of the room."

The quiet hum of pulse rifles ensured obedience, and Pidge inched along until the faint light coming in from under the hem was all but extinguished: she was surrounded.

How was she going to help everyone now?

Her legs and knees ached, her back screaming at her to stand or to at least release the tension. Pidge settled on the floor, her legs to one side, and winced when blood flowed to her toes again. It looked like she would be here for a while.

A while it was and it was stifling. Her palms slicked with sweat but she didn't dare put her bayard back in her pocket. Perspiration trickled down her neck, back, and that uncomfortable spot between her growing breasts. All the while, she heard heavy footsteps and loud whispers ripple around the crowd's edges. She hoped her friends and their majesties were all right.

The Ipryn's right foot tapped once…then twice…then once more, and the toes pointed directly to the right where a left foot slid under the skirt and lifted it carefully.

Pidge stared in growing elation. The Ipryn were helping her navigate the crowd! She would thank them properly later. For now, she brushed the ankle of her rescuer before laying down and pushing herself under the new skirt.

Robes. The design was distinctly different but Pidge couldn't find it in herself to be embarrassed. She was just glad she had some help on her side. It wasn't that much cooler here but it was enough for her to notice and be grateful.

What she wouldn't give for a glass of water, though.

Now aware that there was some formulation of a plan, Pidge waited more patiently and thought up her own plan of attack – and attack it would have to be: systematic and calculated. There could be no room for error; people could and would die, otherwise.

She had to figure out how to communicate with her aiders.

No sooner had she thought it than an outsider's foot slid something under the robes: a small, leather pouch about the size of her hand.

Opening it, Pidge found a holopad and a bundle of what looked like grapes.

The holopad had been dimmed substantially to avoid giving off too much light, and the first thing Pidge wrote was _Thank you._ Only after did she pop a grape into her mouth, and the juicy fruit eased her thirst.

There was a pause, then _It is our honour to assist a Voltron Paladin. What is the plan to rescue Voltron and our Brothers and Sisters?_

Pidge hesitated but typed back, _Are you averse to shedding a brother's blood?_ She had to know how far the Ipryn were willing to go to help her and themselves.

 _These are not Siblings. These pervert the Siblinghood and Ipryn freedom. We will do what we must. What is your plan?_

Well, that was one problem solved. _We need to take out the rebels but we can't do them all at once or we risk hurting the others. We also need to locate the Voice. He's their leader. Also, is there any way to contact Siblings outside this room or the palace? They need to be ready in case the Galra get here early._

There was a pause, during which Pidge helped herself to the rest of the grapes.

 _We will await your order to attack. The Voice is called Boru. He is the younger blood-brother to His Majesty. No contact can be established outside. This is a two-way holopad only. We are on our own._

It could be better but it could have been a lot worse. Pidge had never liked those family drama TV shows but she thought she might enjoy this. She'd poked a hornet's nest with a stick once before. It had been worth the stings.

 _How wide and long is the crowd?_

The longest pause yet. Pidge wished for more grapes.

 _The crowd is organised: seven Ipryn long and eight wide with remaining three at the front. Rebel guards are situated unevenly: three on the east and north sides, two on the west and south. Voltron Paladins and our Siblings are in one of the refreshers on the north side, just beneath the staircase. The door is guarded by two, four more are inside. The rest searches the ballroom for you. They have yet to search us. We believe Prince Boru is with the Paladins and our Siblings, though no one saw him._

Pidge smiled. Her rough estimate had been spot-on. However, it appeared that the rebels knew what they were doing, and that may or may not prove to be a wrench. _Okay. Here's the plan: QUIETLY take out a rebel when the opportunity presents itself. Don't do it too often or too close together time-wise. Whittle their numbers down._

 _Understood. Then what?_

 _I'll let you know when I know._

 _Understood. …Would you like more ooit fruit?_

 _Yes, please. Thank you._

 _It is our honour, Green Paladin._

Within a minute, another pouch slid under the robe, and Pidge helped herself while thinking. She had to get out of the crowd. That was step one. Step two was getting to the refresher unseen or at the very least conscious. Looking back at the numbers, she knew more than half of the rebel forces guarded the hostages and prisoners; and with the crowd whittling their surrounding guards closer and closer to zero, Pidge technically had only ten rebels between her and the north wall. But then she had the additional six when she reached the door, and that wasn't counting Boru, if he was even in there.

She could avoid being seen. She just needed the right cover…

 _The east wall has the dais and thrones, right?_ she typed.

 _Yes._

 _Good. Get me to the east side. I can make my way to the refresher from there._

 _Stand by._

Pidge waited for the foot to tap and was rewarded minutes later. The front of the robes lifted. Pidge couldn't help but mentally hum the _Mission Impossible_ theme song as she moved.

-:-:-:-

Shiro came to slowly, his head throbbing and his chest aching. Had he been kicked by a horse again? It felt like it. Wiggling carefully, he decided the pain wasn't bad enough to warrant broken bones, and he opened his eyes.

Oh, right. Rebels. Hostage situation. Inevitable Galra invasion.

Quiznak.

Lifting his head, he found eleven others around him: Allura, Keith, Lance, Hunk, and Coran, Their Majesties, and four royal counsellors. All were unconscious but he could see them breathing. Their hands were bound behind their backs like his.

Pidge was missing.

Pidge had been hiding behind the drapes at the time of the attack. Was she still there or had she managed to escape?

Shiro forced himself to not think about her. Pidge could take care of herself. He had to worry about the others right now, had to figure out a plan.

They were in a refresher, the Ipryn version of a bathroom but more comfortable; it was more of a small lounge with round ottomans and soft rugs. Five guards were in the room with them, all armed with pulse rifles in their hands and knives poking out of their sashes.

A tall Ipryn in scarlet and gold robes caught Shiro's attention. There, tucked into his black sash, was a red bayard and a Luxite blade. White eyes landed on him. "Ah," he said, striding toward Shiro. "At last, Black Paladin, you are awake. Oh, don't worry about your comrades," he added before Shiro could speak. "They're perfectly all right. A little drugged, perhaps, but otherwise unharmed."

Shiro dragged himself upright, refusing to face an enemy lying down. "You're making a big mistake, whoever you are."

The Ipryn got right into his face, bending down to do it. Shiro didn't see him move but felt it when the Luxite dagger pressed against his neck. "I do not make mistakes," he hissed. "I have been planning this moment ever since you showed up. I knew you would beat back the Galra but I waited. I am patient, you see. I waited, I was rewarded, and now my time has come. The Galra will return, and I will rule the Ipryn in their name. I will –"

Shiro activated his right hand, searing through the bindings, and grabbed the hand holding Keith's knife. The Ipryn, to his utmost surprise, didn't shriek or scream despite the smell of burning flesh, but he did turn sharply, jerking Shiro off his knees. Shiro tried to roll but the Ipryn was quicker, kneeling on his right arm, pinning him to the floor, and placing that knife tip-down on the back of his neck. Shiro froze, his heart hammering, and the Ipryn chuckled.

"You have heart, Paladin, I'll give you that, but not a lot of brains. Allow me to assist you with your thought process." He bent down low, whispering in Shiro's ear. "Move again and I will remove a head, though it won't be yours. Perhaps I'll start with Her Majesty? In-laws can be so tedious." He chuckled again. "Do you understand, Paladin? You may answer."

"Yes," Shiro choked out.

"Good. Now, I have a few more questions for you, and you will answer truthfully. Where is the Green Paladin?"

"I don't know."

"I was not joking when I said I would remove heads. Where is she?"

"I'm telling you I don't know! She doesn't like parties. She's probably hiding."

"Hiding? Or escaped. Tell me something, how close are you to her? How well do you know her?"

"Close and well enough."

"You trust her, then."

"I trust her with my life," Shiro bit out.

"But do you trust her with _their_ lives?" the Ipryn asked mildly. "Is it possible that she ran away to save herself? Is it possible that she put something other than them first?"

Shiro opened his mouth to deny it. Pidge wouldn't. Pidge would never…

 _But Katie might._ The thought came out of nowhere and Shiro cringed with it. Katie Holt was trying to find her missing dad and brother. Pidge had the means to do it but Katie possessed the ruthlessness to follow through. It was Katie who had broken into the Garrison – a government-operated, military institute – for the restricted files of the Kerberos Mission. It was Katie who had falsified a new identity and snuck into that self-same institute. It was Katie who had almost walked away from Voltron to search for her family.

Her family. Katie fought tooth and nail for her family. She had stayed because Team Voltron was _also_ family. _"Dad used to tell me how close he was with his crew members,"_ she had said long ago. _"They were like family. Now I understand what he was talking about."_

Shiro laughed into the floor. "You threatened her family," he said. "She's going to tear you apart."

"You're so certain of one little girl?" The Ipryn's voice trembled slightly, unnerved by Shiro's conviction.

"That little girl was chosen by the Green Lion. She's a Paladin of Voltron, the same as me and the others. You have no idea what that little girl is capable of."

There was silence for a long moment until the rebel leader said, "We'll see," and stood, tucking Keith's knife once more into his sash.

Someone rapped hard and rapidly at the door.

-:-:-:-

Pidge waited under a Sister's skirts for a varga on the eastern edge of the crowd but did not wait idly; Yra taught her hand-signals over the holopad. Yra was Queen Jura's chief lady-in-waiting and bodyguard (not actually a chamberlain!), but very few people knew that because of the queen's love of secrecy and fun. Plus, posing as the chamberlain gave Yra names to faces, and she was an excellent memoriser. She was also the one who had instigated sign languages amongst all the bodyguards, attendants, and servants. There was a language for each and a common one for all which was how Yra had snuck Pidge away from the curtain with her Brothers and Sisters' help and without alerting the rebels. Yra had confessed that her queen had asked her to stay close to Pidge, and while Pidge had at first been indignant about being shadowed, she had to give the Sister kudos for being so subtle about it that not even Shiro had picked up on it. When the coup had occurred, she had acted to protect the last Paladin. When this was over, Pidge was going to have a word with the queen about either giving Yra a raise or placing her at the head of the palace guard.

The left side of the skirt lifted and a foot slid a massive wad of material in, along with…

Heck, yeah!

 _To secure the pistol,_ Yra's message said on the holopad. _To remove the safety, pull the hammer down._

The Ipryn must have foisted the pulse pistol off one of the rebel guards. (Pidge was secretly grateful it wasn't a rifle because she had no idea how to fire one of those, let alone if she could carry it.) The material was a sash, wide and long, and the colour of leaves in high summer. Pidge quickly wrapped it around her waist, tucking in the extra two feet of material so that it wouldn't drag or get snagged, and shoved the gun into an easy-to-reach position. She had her bayard but this was something extra, just in case.

Her holopad lit up with another message: _The east side is clear. Go now._

Pidge tucked the holopad into her sash and slid out from under the Sister's dress. Gaining her feet, she stayed low and moved fast, trusting Yra and the others with a clear path to the dais. Her legs cramped as she ran but she forced the pain away, and made it behind the high-backed thrones on the dais.

No one had seen her.

Now for step two.

 _Deep breaths, Pidge. Deep breaths._ Poking her head out, she eyed an option. The most direct (and pretty much only) route was to go directly from the dais, hugging the wall, under the staircase, and to the refresher. The staircase offered protection from the eyes of the other rebels, save the two guards at the door; they would raise the alarm before she could get halfway across the room.

There had to be another way. Yes, Yra and the others could charge the rebels but people would get hurt, and that wasn't counting if the guards inside turned on the prisoners. Not exactly an ideal situation.

Pidge sat back and leaned her head against the throne. _Think, Pidge. Think!_ What was she missing? What more could she do? It wasn't like she could turn invisible – cloak herself like Green.

Or could she?

Pidge peeked out again but on the opposite side. She caught a Sister's eye and held up her right hand, pressing her fingers to her thumb, her left hand palm out: be quiet and wait. The Sister flicked the first two fingers on her right hand – understood – and passed the message. Pidge took out the holopad and typed quickly. _I need cover but it has to be very specific._

 _What is it you need?_

 _Could a couple of you complain about the heat? Ask to move around. If yes, scatter randomly but I need a bunch of you to be between the dais and the refresher but in front of the staircase._

 _Are you going to hide under our skirts again, Green Paladin?_

 _Not quite. You're going to be shields against enemy eyes. Hopefully, not enemy gunfire._

 _We are willing to defend Voltron and Ipryn freedom._

Pidge didn't know what to say to that so she just wrote, _I'll wait for your signal._

 _Stand by. I'll pass the message._

It took a few minutes but eventually a voice lifted up over the heavy quiet: "Brothers, might we move about some? This heat is unbearable."

Immediately, the rebels nearest the group lifted their rifles. "Stay where you are!" commanded one.

"Please!" another begged. "Is this how you treat Kin? Let us have some water, some juice, perhaps something to eat. The buffet tables are right there!"

"I said stay where you are!"

More guns were raised but the eastern side shifted, aware that there was no threat to them. A few drifted forward.

"Stop! What are you doing? Goro, Hira, Dwi, control that section!"

"Your comrades left for the refresher and didn't return," a Brother informed the rebels.

"Not true! I saw the three go out that window and flee across the lawn!" retorted a Sister.

"You're both daft! They're drinking behind the curtains there!" sneered another.

"Brothers and Sisters, peace!" Pidge recognised that booming voice, able to make a single syllable heard in every corner of the room: Yra. "Siblings –" did she stumble over that word? – "allow us some movement. It's stifling so close together. You have our word as your Brothers and Sisters that we will not harm you. We only want some movement. You can keep your weapons aimed at us. Is this fair?"

Murmuring broke out among the rebels. Pidge could hear them debate over trying to find their comrades and alerting Boru.

Then one of the rebels broke away from the group. "This is fair," he said. "But if anyone tries anything, you all get stunned. Understand?"

"We understand," all fifty-nine Ipryn said in eerie unison.

The eastern Ipryn drifted closer to the dais, spreading out leisurely and absently.

Pidge took a deep breath. The time for thinking was over. Now it was time for action. She rose and darted out from behind the thrones, coming to a stop behind a Brother who didn't acknowledge her whatsoever. He turned absently, shielding her from a rebel, and then curled the last two fingers of his left hand. The coast was clear, and Pidge was off to the next Ipryn, and the next. Brothers and Sisters worked with her, using their larger bodies to give her cover, saying nothing and making no contact aside from the signal "coast is clear".

Pidge hovered uncertainly behind the last Sister. Now what? How was she supposed to get to the door with the guards in the way? If she took them down, it would be noisy, and then the rebels would turn on the others…

A Sister some yards away caught her eye – the chamberlain! No, Yra! She lifted a hand but it was no hand signal because in it was a knife that was as long as Pidge's forearm. Pidge took up her bayard in her left and the pistol in her right. Yra…shook her head and gestured to herself and the Brother beside her. The message was clear: Stay where you are. The Ipryn have this.

The rebels were, after all, outnumbered.

The Siblings slowly surrounded them, several of the ladies getting closest. Pidge couldn't see any weapons but that meant nothing. The Sister she hid behind reached back and squeezed her hand which also held her bayard. Pidge took a deep breath. _Courage, Pidge. Your friends need you. This planet needs you._

There was no discernible signal, no call or sign, but all at once, with that eerie synchrony, the Ipryn killed the rebels where they stood as silently as a gentle breeze.

The two guards outside the refresher went wide-eyed and, forgetting they had weapons, hammered on the door.

Pidge rushed forward, her bayard bright and glowing, and launched her hook at them, snagging them and dragging them back for the others. The door opened and Pidge took aim with the pistol. The shot missed the rebel's head by an inch, splintering the door, but the splinters caught his face and he staggered back, howling.

Pidge lunged, shooting again ( _Twenty-two_ , she thought) and the rebels behind him when he dropped ( _Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five_ ). She shot a rebel in scarlet and gold robes who stood over Shiro who lay prostrate on the rug.

"Twenty-six," she announced breathlessly, tucking the pistol back into her sash. "We're clear!" she managed to shout back into the ballroom.

"Pidge?" Shiro looked up at her, wild-eyed and trembling.

Pidge ran to him, easing him up. "Careful," she urged. "Just stay still."

"The others are drugged," he said as Yra and twelve others entered. All carried pulse rifles.

Yra nodded and directed her Siblings to care for each before turning to Pidge. "I must say that that was rather anticlimactic," she said. "I expected Prince Boru to put up more of a fight."

Pidge laughed shakily. "He never knew what hit him." She pulled out the gun, eyeing it. "It was set to stun, right?"

"Of course. The rebels will be executed by the Siblinghood. As for Prince Boru, he will be tried by the Court and then executed by His Majesty."

"King Fiw will kill his own brother?" Pidge asked, startled.

"Blood he may be but Brother he is no longer, not when he declared war against his Kin. This is Ipryn law."

"Speaking of which, aren't the Galra still on their way?" wondered Shiro.

"Oh," said Pidge. "I forgot about that part."

"It's of no consequence," Yra said with a wave of her hand. "As soon as you declared the all-clear, we contacted our Siblings outside. We are amassing our army as we speak. It is a shame. I was looking forward to peace this day."

"You can still have it – Ow, my head!" Lance groaned.

"My apologies, Blue Paladin," a Brother murmured. "The drug in your system is a stubborn one. At least you are now awake."

"Yeah, right," moaned Hunk. "I'm gonna throw up."

The Sister beside him quickly helped him to a stall where he did, indeed, vomit violently.

"Lance is right, though." By some miracle (or maybe Altean will power), Allura sat up, though she leaned heavily on a Sister. "We can still win the day. Voltron beat the Galra back from Ipryn once. They can do it again."

"No offence, Princess, but I can barely see straight," Keith confessed. He lay on his back, completely unwilling to get up. "I don't think I can pilot."

"You won't have to!" Pidge declared, catching onto Allura's idea. "We fake it! We get to our Lions and simply show that we're still here. The Galra will run away with their tails between their legs!"

"That's…a good idea," Shiro said slowly. "We're going to have to move fast, though."

"Gimme another minute!" Hunk called from his stall.

"We don't exactly have time to waste," Yra pointed out.

"Sister!" Pidge called, making Shiro's eyes bug. "Do you have a bucket?"

"I'll get you one, Sister," an Ipryn repled, her white eyes twinkling.

Yra took immediate command. "Come, Siblings. We must carry the Paladins. Orto, get Parua and have her watch Their Majesties. I will escort the Paladins to their Lions."

Pidge grabbed Shiro's arm, a Brother on his other side, and hefted him up. "If you can't walk, say so, and they'll carry you," she said.

Shiro nodded. "I think I can walk. They woke me up earlier." He looked back at Prince Boru, saying, "Keith's bayard and knife."

"Got 'em!" Pidge ducked out, grabbed them, and tucked them both into her sash.

Yra led the way, using servants' backways as shortcuts through the palace. Ipryn guards and servants were everywhere, arming themselves with blades and pulse weapons of every size. They made way when Yra approached, and the group passed unhindered out of the palace to the Castle of Lions in one of the large meadows behind the wall.

Before they separated to the hangars, Pidge remembered something else, "No flying solo. You get a Brother or a Sister to watch you in case the drug effects get stupid."

"They're our Lions!" Lance protested from his piggyback position on a Brother.

"She won't be yours much longer if you go into cardiac arrest," Pidge shot back. She was met with defiant stares from Lance, Keith and even Shiro. Hunk was busy coughing into his bucket. "I just took down a rebellion in this heinous dress," she snarled, her patience gone. "You can do this one little thing and make sure you don't die."

Hunk snorted with laughter and put his bucket down. "If you can do that in that foofaraw, we can totally make sure we don't die. Right, guys?"

Lance frowned. "I was the one to call it foofaraw. You can't steal my word!"

"It's not your word!"

"Oh, would you both SHUT UP!" Pidge shouted. "We don't have _time_ for this! Get your _drugged butts_ to your _Lions_ so we can _defend_ this planet!" Without waiting to see if she would be obeyed, she stormed down the hall towards Green's hangar. Knowing Yra was right beside her, she ground out, "Yeah. We're the Defenders of the freaking Universe! Watch out, Zarkon!"

Yra wisely didn't comment.

-:-:-:-

Pidge couldn't help but feel that Yra's earlier observation about anticlimactic-ness was spot-on. All that planning and all that stress amounted to nothing more than a pleasure cruise past Ipryn's atmosphere. The Galra dropped out of hyper-speed, took one look at the five Voltron Lions assembled and ready to kick purple butt, and promptly turned tail.

Now, Pidge found herself once more standing in front of the dais, King Fiw and Queen Jura shaky yet upright and on their thrones. Allura, Lance and Keith were all in chairs beside her; Coran, Shiro and Hunk standing with an attendant nearby to catch them if they fell. Pidge was sweat-streaked, her dress badly wrinkled, and her hair a mess. She still wore the sash, the pistol and her bayard in full view. She had just finished delivering her account of what had happened and didn't really notice the looks of awe everyone was giving her, including Prince Boru who was conscious, bound hand and foot, and kneeling in front of King Fiw.

It was Boru who broke the silence. "But she's just a little girl!" he gasped.

"I'm a Paladin of Voltron, you chauvinistic –!"

Shiro stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. He actually smiled at Boru. "I told you so," he said. "You threatened her family. I told you that you made a mistake."

"Mistakes can be pardoned," King Fiw interrupted, his voice clipped and distant. "This…this cannot be. Get him out of my sight. He will be tried according to our laws."

"But, but, Fiw! I am your Brother!"

King Fiw stared at him with pitiless eyes. "I do not Know you," he whispered.

Pidge could only infer that was not a commonly uttered phrase among the Ipryn. She didn't look at Boru as he was dragged from the room.

"Green Paladin," Queen Jura said. Yra was beside her, calm and ready. "We cannot thank you enough for what you have done tonight. Your courage, skill and intellect saved us all." Placing a hand over her heart, she bowed as much as able from her throne. "Thank you, Sister."

Every Ipryn in the room mirrored their queen, even King Fiw, even Yra, bowing at the waist, a hand over their heart. "Thank you, Sister," they murmured as one.

Pidge swallowed and curtsied as well as she could. "Siblings," she said. It was all she could say but apparently all that was needed.

-:-

There will probably be a short epilogue for this arc.

Please review. :)


	15. Chapter 15: Formal Dress Part III

**Persona Bailey:** Thank you so much! I agree that Pidge is great. :)

 **Guest:** Thank you! She really is, isn't she?

 **Guest:** Thank you! Pidge is my favourite, too.

 **katiewinchester87:** Thank you! I spent all day yesterday writing that chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

 **Alkirian:** I love seeing Pidge kick butt, too. It's really satisfying. Thank you so much! I'm happy that it was worth the cliffhanger.

 **ally-dash.77:** Yay for exceeding high expectations! I honestly didn't plan for the Ipryn to adopt Pidge, it just happened; but I'm glad it did. :D Shiro knows what Pidge will do when someone threatens her family. In all fairness, he did try to warn Boru. ;) I don't think Pidge has any idea how amazing she is. She just is. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Leo-TheHunter:** It's not in here but Yra totally gets a raise. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **22velvetspoons:** (Chapter 10) Hi again! Busy stinks but I'm glad and grateful you took the time to review. :) I hope you're enjoying binge-reading.

 **AlecGateway:** The rebels trusted Yra's word as a Sister. Problem: they didn't know she had denounced them as Siblings. Very stupid, indeed. Aw, thank you!

 **rainbowrider1290:** I agree! Thank you! I worked all day on that chapter. It was a lot of work but I'm thrilled with the result. You're welcome for the fast update. :)

 **avidbeader:** Don't worry about it. Technology sucks sometimes. :) Goodness, thank you for commenting on so much! (Make my heart soar, why don't you!) :D

 **Scarlet song Cerulean Trails:** (Chapter 1) Thank you! It makes my heart happy when I see new readers and followers. :D I hope you enjoy my fic!

 **Star-The-Writer:** It was actually an hour, but, yes. Just yes to that whole scenario! Haha! :D Thank you for reviewing!

 **Roseflora17:** You are more than welcome. Like I said, I had the idea already, but the whole thing took off on its own, and I am beyond thrilled by the response I've had with this arc. Thank you so much for your kind words. It was a pleasure writing this. :)

 **Author's Note:** 253 reviews, 168 favourites, 177 follows, 1 community, and hundreds of readers - thank you for indulging me in this arc and in this series so far. It has been an absolute pleasure to write this, and I am so happy that you are enjoying it as much as I am writing it. Cheers, good people!

 _Chapter 15: Formal Dress Part III_

It was nearly dawn when Pidge saw her friends, their majesties, and the councillors to the infirmary. Keith and Lance both passed out before they even got to the doors (Allura putting up a fight to stay conscious), and Pidge, for all her numb and exhaustive state, heard the nurses quietly lament their lack of bulk. It was why Shiro, Coran and Hunk were able to stand, sort of; like Ipryn fashion, Boru's drugs had not done any favours to the lanky.

Pidge huddled on the side, unable to leave until every last one of the twelve was stabilised and sound asleep. At that point, a Brother nurse in a soft brown robe ushered her out the door with a solemn "This is no place for a child." Pidge couldn't find the energy to get angry at him and, since her job in the infirmary was done, allowed herself to be steered out the door and deposited into the deserted hall.

Pidge longed for her bed in the Castle of Lions but she would do her duty to her team and newfound Brothers and Sisters, and stay nearby. Unravelling the sash from around her waist, she laid it out and settled down, Yra's holopad and Keith's bayard and knife tucked between her back and the wall, her own bayard and pulse pistol within easy reach.

She had closed her eyes for only a couple minutes when she heard the infirmary doors swish open. Thinking it was a nurse, Pidge feigned sleep, until footsteps drew close and a voice said, "Sister, why do you sleep in this hallway?"

Pidge peeked open an eye and smiled wanly at Yra who knelt in front of her. "I'm doing my duty as a Paladin of Voltron."

"You know that the infirmary has accommodations for friends and family, yes?"

Pidge frowned and opened both eyes. "I was told the infirmary was no place for a child," she said.

Realisation dawned in that dark face and she said, "Oh. I see."

"I can't do my duty in there so I'm doing my duty out here."

"I see," Yra said again. "Well, then, I must inform you that I have new orders for you." Pidge sat up, her brow wrinkling, and Yra continued. "Before the Black Paladin fell asleep, he told me to tell you to sleep in a real bed. I don't think Brother Wiit's sash counts as a bed, let alone a real one. Also, before my queen fell asleep, she told me to guard you until all six of your comrades left the infirmary. So. We both have our orders and they coincide quite nicely, if you will allow me to say so, Sister."

"I can't leave," Pidge mumbled, plucking at the green sash beneath her.

"You can and you will. Everyone is taken care of and well-guarded. Sister-Doctor Hana will personally contact me if anything even remotely goes wrong with any of the twelve. Having said that," she stood and proffered a hand, "are you going to come willingly or must I resort to childish measures?"

Pidge stared at the wide hand then up at her Sister's face. She smiled, gathered up her things, and took that hand.

Yra walked her through the winding halls until she brought them to Pidge's room. Pidge stumbled in, barely remembered to put everything in a drawer, and fell into bed.

"Oh, no, Sister mine! That is not going to happen!" Large hands pulled her gently upright, standing her on her feet. "Let's get you out of this 'heinous dress' first, shall we?"

"Don't have to…" Pidge mumbled, rubbing her eyes with a fist.

"I absolutely have to. You've been complaining about this dress since you first laid eyes on it. Trust me, Sister, you'll feel better once you're out of it."

While that was true, Pidge felt it necessary to say, "It's kinda growing on me."

Yra's fingers froze in the lacings for a moment, obviously confused by the idiom, but then she applied it to the context with Pidge's lack of spiteful tone and understood. "You are a strange one, Sister mine."

"Whoever said I wasn't?"

Yra chuckled, a deep and hearty sound, and Pidge smiled, leaning against a table. It was certainly easier to get out of a dress than into one because Yra was done within minutes, and Pidge stood in the loose-fitting shift.

"You can sleep in that," Yra murmured, guiding her to the bed.

Pidge was already half-asleep when she thought she heard Yra say, "Sleep well, Sister."

-:-:-:-

Pidge had no idea how long she slept for when a quiet _ding_ snapped her awake. Sitting up, she found Yra dressed in a casual dark-brown tunic and dark-red leggings, and reading a holopad. The Sister smiled and waved the 'pad at her. "Reports on the twelve. All are conscious with no lasting effects of the drugs. The Black Paladin has put in a request for your presence, if you're awake enough."

"I'm awake enough!" Snatching up her glasses from her bedside table, she scrambled out of bed for the door.

Yra stopped her with a hand. "You are not going to run through Ipryn halls in nothing but your underwear, Sister," she chided. "Here. They should fit." She held out a stack of clothes which Pidge immediately took.

Pidge realised in an instant that they were not hers: they were Ipryn and they fit remarkably well. "What kid did you steal these from?" she asked, grinning, as she took a look at herself in the mirror. She didn't look half-bad: the tunic was golden-brown and came down to her knees, and the leggings the colour of spring leaves. Her hair, ruined from last night and only more so after being slept in, was a bird's nest. The whole effect made her look like a forest imp. Guardian Spirit of Forest, indeed.

Yra chortled. "My niece has yet to hit her growth spurt. When she heard me ask her father for some of her clothes for the Voltron Paladin who had saved us all, she was more than happy to surrender her best tunic, though the leggings are not her favourite colour."

Pidge honestly didn't expect the clothes to have really come from a child but she grinned anyway. "Tell her I said thank you."

"I will. Come. Your friends await you."

Pidge remembered Keith's weapons before walking out the door. She knew her friend would feel better with them at his side.

Walking down the corridors, Pidge was met with smiles and chipper greetings of "Sisters." She froze up the first time it happened, coming from two Brothers who appeared to be cooks late for their shift, but Yra nudged her and she ducked her head, her face flushing, and replied, "Brothers."

It was…not unnerving but overwhelming. These aliens looked at her as if she were their sun: giving light and life to all.

"Why call me 'Sister'?" she asked once they turned away from the busier hallways. "I'm not really one of you…"

"But you are," Yra told her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Ipryn you may not be, but you are Sibling to every Ipryn here. Siblinghood is not founded on blood, as you know now, but on the heart and soul inside. You were not so proud that you didn't accept our help last night, yet you still took control of the situation; and we were not so proud that we immediately discounted the ideas of a very young foreigner. Siblings work together, and that was exactly what we did. Her Majesty just made it official."

"Oh," Pidge mused. Then she remembered what the Olkari had told her once upon a time: _"You understand that at the deepest level, trees, metal, you, me, we are all made up of the same cosmic dust."_ She smiled. "Thank you, Yra."

Her Sister smiled back, white eyes soft and understanding, and she opened the infirmary door.

Pidge immediately spotted the Brother nurse who had gently thrown her out last night (this morning?) and inclined her head as she walked up to him, "Brother."

He dropped his holopad, staring at her and Queen Jura's chief bodyguard as her escort, and barely managed to nod back.

"The Voltron Paladins, please, Brother," Yra said, fighting a smirk at Pidge's smugness.

"Of-of course, Sister – Sisters! Right this way." He ushered them down a quiet hallway, bypassing several rooms. "We felt it wise to keep the Paladins together. They were quite distressed when they started becoming more lucid."

"Distressed?" Pidge pounced.

"Nothing serious, of course," Brother Nurse amended. "They were concerned about you, S-Sister, asking questions, refusing food until they saw you."

"Is that right?" Pidge growled and stalked into the large ward he gestured to. "What is this I hear about you morons not eating?" she demanded by way of greeting.

"Pidge!" Her name was called by six people.

"Pidge, we didn't know where you were!" Hunk despaired.

"They wouldn't tell us anything!" complained Lance.

"We were worried," Allura said, "and I am not a moron."

"I'm sure." Pidge scowled, hands on her hips. "You're supposed to be recovering from a hostage situation, and recovering means eating the food these kind doctors give you!"

"Have _you_ eaten yet?" Shiro asked, wheedling.

" _I_ woke up fifteen minutes ago. _I_ have an excuse. You don't. Brother," she turned to the nurse hovering uncertainly in the doorway, "bring up a meal for my comrades that befits their condition. I will take a plate of fried meat with whatever passes for a potato here. Please and thank you."

"Of-of course, S-Sister. R-right away." And he darted away.

"Sister, you're welcome to check on Their Majesties," she said to Yra who stood just inside the room.

"I am under strict orders to keep you in my sights until your comrades leave the infirmary" was the lofty retort.

Pidge stared at Yra then rolled her eyes. "Fine. Might as well get comfortable, then." She hopped up onto Shiro's bed, sitting at the foot, while Yra pulled up a chair beside Princess Allura on the opposite side. "Are you guys okay?" she asked, plucking at the sheet.

"We're on the mend, Number Five," Coran said. "It is good to see you."

"Can we go soon?"

"Why? Anxious to leave? You're an honorary Ipryn Sibling now, and that is no small honour," Allura said with a proud smile.

When Pidge said nothing, Shiro reached forward and squeezed her shoulder. "Saving a whole planet single-handedly is exhausting, isn't it?"

" _Almost_ single-handedly. I had a ton of help. I wouldn't have gotten out from behind the curtains safely if not for Yra."

"Still can't believe you hid behind the curtains!" Lance snickered.

"A stroke of genius, I say," said Hunk. "If Pidge didn't hate parties and dresses and grand entrances and…" He caught Pidge's glared and faltered. "Uh, she, uh, would've been just as, uh, messed as the rest of us."

"Thanks, Hunk. I appreciate that," Pidge grumbled.

"I guess this goes to show that you should also always attend parties armed," Shiro put in.

"I almost forgot! Keith!" Pidge hopped off the bed and handed him his bayard and knife. "These are yours."

Keith took them both carefully and smiled. "I was wondering where they'd gone," he said, his voice betraying his real fear of losing his weapons. "Thanks, Pidge."

"Told you my dress had pockets," Pidge sneered at Lance, referring back to Shiro's statement.

"I never said it didn't. I just said that you couldn't hide a bayard in that –" he glanced at Hunk sidelong – "foofaraw."

"Really, dude?"

-:-:-:-

Breakfast (lunch though it technically was) came and went; everyone was released shortly after with doctor's orders to take it easy; Pidge gave back the sash, the holopad, and the pistol; and now she stood outside the Castle of Lions with her friends beside her and her newfound Brothers and Sisters in front of her.

"We are going to miss you, Sister," Queen Jura said. "If you're in the system, don't hesitate to stop by."

Pidge smiled. "I can promise that, Your Majesty." She was in her Earth clothes once more (so she didn't curtsey) and, to be honest, she felt a little off-kilter in them.

Yra stepped forward, a large box in her hands. "A parting gift from your Siblings, Sister. We wish you and your comrades safety."

"Thank you, Sister." The box wasn't heavy but it felt full.

Allura and the Ipryn monarchs exchanged a few politically polite words, and then everyone waved goodbye, and the Castle of Lions' doors closed behind them.

Lance nudged her. "So what's in the box, Pidgeykins?"

"Yeah, open it!" Hunk encouraged.

Pidge set the box on the floor and undid the green ribbon. Lifting the lid, Pidge stared at the array of Ipryn tunics and leggings, and smiled.

"She saves their planet and all she gets is clothes?" wondered Lance as he pawed through the contents.

"Ipryn are quite the solitary society," Allura explained. "Very rarely do they reach out to foreigners. That Pidge has been given traditional Ipryn clothing is a mark of how much they respect, admire, and accept her."

"Huh. Hey, isn't this…?"

Pidge's eyes bugged wide when Lance pulled out a familiar clothing item that was green and gold with ivory lacings.

"They gave you the heinous dress!?"

Everyone burst out laughing, even Allura and Coran chuckling modestly. But Pidge felt a smile slowly grow across her face, and she took the dress from Lance, stroking the fabric. Like she had told Yra last night, the dress was starting to grow on her. She would just never wear it to another party.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	16. Chapter 16: Helpless

**avidbeader:** D'aww! Thank you!

 **katiewinchester87:** Yay for cuteness! Thank you! I've had a couple days free to write so I've been writing like a madwoman. :)

 **ally-dash.77:** Ah, the dress. I really couldn't pass it up. :) As for your question, at this point, I have no idea. I'm making this up as I go, taking prompts from you guys, as well as supplying my own ideas. I don't really plan anything, so...I honestly don't know. You can interpret Yra's feelings however you want. I'll leave that up to you. :)

 **Ikari Starknight:** Thank you and will do!

 **Alkirian:** I'm glad I made you smile. :D I'm sorry about your essay but I hope you do well on it. :) Thank you!

 **Sparklesona:** (Chapter 14) ... That is possibly one of the nicest things any reviewer has ever said. Wow. Thank you! Thank you so much! *happy dance*

 **rainbowrider1290:** It's kind of funny but I gave readers a couple references in that arc to one of my favourite shows. I'll give you a hint: This arc was almost named "Shindig" (though the word does appear in the first paragraph), and one of the characters definitely said "foofaraw" in that show's episode. I almost referenced the show directly in the second part of the arc but it felt too out-of-place, so I skipped it. Pertaining to your comment on my author's note, I've found that I do get more reviews if I ask for them, but I try to do it politely. I will never be one of those authors who say "Give me more reviews and I'll give you more chapters" or something awful like that. I write because I like to, but I also want to hear what you think because it's the only gratification I get. It's kind of disheartening when a chapter gets 1500+ views but only 11 reviews (maybe people didn't like the chapter as much, what do I know?). I hope that makes sense. Still, though, I'm glad you're reviewing. You're one of my regulars and I love hearing what you have to say, so thank you for that. *hug* :)

 **AlecGateway:** Aw, thank you! Pidge is definitely coming into her own. :) Thank you and will do!

 **Cielmatica:** (Chapters 11, 12, and 15) I was getting used to the fluff, too, but I'm also an angst machine and I live for it. *evil grin* To answer your questions: First, Red saved Pidge because Green wasn't there; Green was back down on the planet and panicked out of her mind for her paladin (Black made her stay behind because she felt she might be a liability), but she trusted her sisters to act when she couldn't. Second, it's my headcanon that a couple of the paladins do know Pidge's real name (Shiro, Keith and maybe Hunk) but in canon, Pidge never explicitly told anyone her real name so not everyone was privy to it until Yra announced Pidge as Katherine. (12) Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :D (15) That is the first time she came out of a situation uninjured, although, ironically, everyone else got sent to the infirmary. ;) I tried to have more of a climax but it just kept falling flat, so I wrote it that way because it felt the most natural and smooth. Thank you for your kind words. :)

 **DaisyTheKitten:** Oh my goodness! I can totally picture Pidge like that! Hahah! Thank you!

 **Star-The-Writer:** I am snickering! Oh, that is too funny! Thank you for reviewing!

 **GUEST:** I hope life hasn't been too big of a roller coaster. :) It's nice to hear from you again. Thank you!

 **KnightOwl247:** (Chapters 11, 13, and 15) Sorry, sorry! I'm a terrible person, I know. Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the chapters. :)

 **Persona Bailey:** I spend very little time with building cultures. I just write it and then go over it for a few minutes, deleting and adding as I see fit. I've always had a hand at world-building like that. :/ Pidge will set Lance on fire if he tries to "encourage" her to wear the dress. She's independent like that. ;) Thank you for your wonderful comments!

 **Green Giant Uranus:** Wow! Thank you! I'm thrilled you're enjoying it as much as you are. :D I checked out your story and PMed you. :)

 **kelli.n.c:** Aw, thank you!

 **Sage McGavin:** As a woman who adores pockets in all kinds of clothing, I agree with you. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Me neither. :/ Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Thank you so much!

 **Triscribe:** I feel like Shiro was an active person in his youth and so he went horseback riding one time and got kicked. It didn't stop him from going out again. :)

 **TooLazyToLogIn:** I love sassy Pidge, too. Thank you for reviewing!

 **animeditto:** What are you doing? Reading my mind? Shoo, shoo! :D Nah, kidding. I have a thing or two in the works but that particular arc (maybe an arc?) won't happen for a while. (Spoilers!) Thank you for reviewing!

 **chocolatechipwhiz:** Reviews like yours are what I live for. Holy wow! Thank you so much! I just...wow. Thank you. :D

 **JackieStarSister:** (Chapters 2-9) Hi! Thank you for reviewing so many chapters! Yeah, Pidge is a bit of a show-off. :) About your "about" suggestion, thank you, but since 'especially' is an adverb, it is correct. (3) I read "Offensive Shadows" (great job on that one, by the way. It really was quite the ride!) before I posted Chapter 3; however, I wasn't thinking of it when I wrote it. Thanks for your comments and crit. :) (4) I forgot that Alfor was a Paladin. Shame on me! (5) You are the only one who has ever commented on that part, and for that I thank you! :D (6) You found my reference! I would give you cookies if I could! :D (9) A 'ward' is typically a barrier of some kind, which I've commonly found in fantasy fiction. Tamora Pierce (one of my favourite authors) uses it frequently.

 **TheDiamondSword400:** I love that you love it! Thank you! :D

 **feelzyfeelz:** Holy wow! Thank you! I've been getting a lot of love for Yra so thank you! *blushes and smiles* I binged Voltron the other day, too, just to get back into the mood. Thank you again!

 **bayboo20:** (Chapters 1-15) Congratulations on being the 300th review! Holy cow, you reviewed every single chapter! Thank you a dozen times over! About the bloody nose thing, I completely forgot that tilting back is bad. When I was growing up, it was common to tilt back instead of forward. I'm happy that you're enjoying the chapters. Good reading is a comfort to me, too. :) Sorry for confusing you in Chapters 10 and 13. I really need to work on my descriptions (settings, characters, clothes, etc.). Fanfiction is a good place to practice. :) You asked me if I had any inspiration for Pidge's dress in the "Formal Dress" arc (and you're right: an 'arc' is a section of directly-related chapters), and I didn't, really. I just kind of made it up. Sorry. :/ If I ever learn how to draw, I'll totally draw the dress for you. I'm honoured to be called 'Friend'. Welcome to the Voltron fandom! :D And thank you again for all of your wonderful comments! *hugs!*

 **jointhedorkside:** (Ahhh! Your username is hilariously amazing!) I'm sorry for your poor heart. Thank you for reviewing!

 **abie:** (Chapter 2) Thank you! I'm glad you like it. :)

For **Rookblonkorules** who prompted me with a Paladin's whumpage and Pidge has to deal with it. I hope you like it, Rook! :)

 _Chapter 16: Helpless_

The markets on Oi'ip were considered the best in the system and also the most confusing. Wide roads carved through the Great Southern Hills to form a labyrinth with shops built into the unnatural cliff faces, some even on top of each other and connected by narrow bridges up to seventy feet above the ground. Stalls and wagons peppered the walkways, vendors calling out their wares in great and booming voices. The markets offered everything from fruit and herbs to books, and mined ores to clothing. From the cheap in price and quality to the extravagant and luxurious, it was a paradise for anyone with an interest in anything.

"Come _on_ , Pidge!"

It was also hell for anyone who was looking for something specific and was stuck with a companion who had no concept of a shopping list.

"You've been looking at those books for _hours_! We have stuff to get, so let's _go_!"

Pidge peered over her glasses at Lance who had the audacity to cross his arms over his chest and tap his foot. "We've been here for twelve minutes, Lance, not hours. If you want to go, then go."

"We can't split up!" he whined. "Shiro told us not to split up! Come on, please? I'll buy you an alien ice cream?"

"I am not five years old!" she retorted. When Lance pouted, though, she sighed. "Fine. Excuse me, sir? How much for these?" She held up her small stack, and the bookseller – a tall, portly fellow with orange skin and bighorn-like horns above his ears – smiled.

"Eighteen vru," he said. Leaning over the counter, he added, "And if you come back without the heckler, I'll give you a third off your next purchase."

Pidge beamed. "Thank you, sir!" Coins exchanged hands, and he gave her a sack for her books which she slung over her shoulder.

"All right, Lance," she said, "let's go, but you still owe me that ice cream."

Lance waved a hand dismissively, "Sure, sure," and led the way out of the store and down the street.

An hour later, they had what Coran had asked for and were making their back towards the meeting point which was a restaurant Allura had picked out. Pidge had a frozen treat – which looked like a ball of fried bacon on a stick but tasted like watermelon and Saskatoon berries – and she nibbled the thawing edges while Lance eyed the display windows.

"You think we should get Allura something?" he asked, stopping in front of a window whose contents glistened and twinkled.

Pidge paused. "Um…why?"

Lance lifted a shoulder but continued to inspect the necklaces and bracelets. "She's a lady who likes sparkly things."

"So…this isn't you trying to work your way into her good graces?"

Lance turned to her, eyes wide, and put a hand on his heart. "Pidgeykins, I'm hurt that you would think so low of me! Why, I'm positively wounded!"

"I'll wound you for real," Pidge grumbled.

"Come on, Pidgey! I let you look at books." Lance waggled his eyebrows at her and Pidge rolled her eyes.

"You didn't let me do anything," she said. When Lance continued to give her his puppy eyes, she sighed. "Fine! Go look. I'm gonna stay out here. I doubt they'll let me in with this." She lifted her treat and took another bite.

"Fair enough. I won't be long."

He was turning for the door when a pale-blue female with long, dark purple hair materialised in front of him. Out of the corner of her eye, Pidge spotted a dozen others, all identical to the first. The shoppers nearest them screamed at the sight, sending panic searing up and down the roads, and stampeded in every direction. Pidge caught a gleeful look in riveting, violet eyes, and a burst of ash flung in Lance's face before she was swept away into the mob.

"Shishi! Shishi! They're here!" the crowd shrieked.

"Lance!" Pidge dropped everything in her hands and reached for her bayard tucked in a jacket pocket. With the crowd pushing and shoving her down the street like a leaf in a gale, she could no longer see her friend. She lost her footing, or maybe someone tripped her, and she went sprawling. People stepped on her arms, back and legs, and she cried out, sweeping her activated bayard in an arc around her. "Get back!"

The crowd obeyed the bayard, if not her words, giving her a berth, and Pidge scrambled to the edge of the road, taking shelter between two massive planters outside a storefront. Her eyes roved through the people, trying to find an opening because bayard or no, she was not willing to use it to force her way upstream a _stampede_.

"Forget this," she snarled and slapped her free hand against the ground. The Olkari gem hidden beneath her hair hummed against her skin, and power seeped into the street. People scattered in terror ten-fold and were thrust back by the road which curled upward into a five-foot-high barrier, revealing a narrow dirt path straight back up to Lance. Pidge, her path now clear, ran for her teammate and friend who staggered.

"Lance!" Pidge yelled.

"Pidge?" Lance held a hand to his head, swaying dangerously. "Pidge, I can't see. I can't…" He stumbled and collapsed into the dirt.

Pidge was beside him in an instant, her bayard back in her pocket. "Lance? Lance!" Turning him over, she recoiled, fighting down a shriek: the skin around Lance's eyes was blackened and cracked, his eyes swollen shut.

"Pi…dge? Pidge…"

 _Deep breaths, Pidge. Deep breaths,_ she told herself. To Lance, she quietly hushed him. "You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay. Come on, Lance, you got to get up. We got to move right now, before that freaky lady comes back." Hauling an arm over her shoulders, she dragged him upright. He leaned against her too heavily but thank the stars he was on his feet.

"Pidge," he moaned again.

"You're going to be okay," she replied automatically. Her eyes fell on the bags that Lance had been carrying, and she bit her cheek; they had to leave it. Lance was more important. "Come on. We gotta get out of here. Come on, Lance. Work with me. You gotta walk. We need to find Shiro and the others. Come on."

Pidge kept talking, encouraging him in whispers she wasn't sure could be heard over the din, and it was like that was the only thing that made him move. If her words faltered, so did he. If she fell silent, his groans became louder.

Flashes of pale blue and dark purple darted through the quickly-emptying streets, and Pidge froze, her heart hammering. People who had already been attacked – eyes as blackened and swollen as Lance's – prowled the road, moaning and screeching, overturning carts with violent single-mindedness.

Violet eyes in a blue face appeared in front of them out of thin air. A sweet smile took aim.

Pidge squashed down her panic, glared, and touched her free hand to the wall beside her. "Go to hell!" she hissed.

 _Help us, protect us, get her away from us!_ she begged the carved-out hill.

The gem heated uncomfortably and the earth obeyed: lunging out with clawed hands of mud, stone and dirt, the ground snatched the shishi and yanked her back into the hillside so quickly that Pidge could have blinked and missed it.

Keeping her hand where it was, she pinpointed six more shishi, and the cosmic dust that made up everything was a willing servant to the Olkari gem.

"I think we got 'em, Lance. I think they're gone now. They won't bother anybody now."

Growls behind her made her turn. A trio of victims stalked toward her, sightless and fearful.

"It wields great power, too much power," one rasped.

"What will it do to us?" spat another.

"Kill it! Kill it before it kills us!"

What the quiznak?

Pidge clutched Lance who shuddered, and the three charged.

Did she dare use Olkari technology on innocents?

To save Lance, she would.

Hand reaching out to the wall, she was caught by surprise by a fourth behind her. Broken fingernails clawed at her scalp, ripping the headband from her head and tossing it away. "Kill it, kill it!" he snarled as he tackled her.

"No!" Pidge tried to roll over to fight back but he had pinned her on her stomach, her arms trapped at her sides. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted two of their attackers approach Lance who had collapsed without her support. "Get away from him! Lance! Lance! Get up! Don't you dare touch him! Lance!"

A roar nearly shattered her eardrums. A blur of orange leaped over the road-turned-barrier and scattered the four with a great sweep of horns. "Stay away!" the blur bellowed at them, and they fled from the rage, whimpering and squealing.

Pidge could only stare at the bookseller who turned and caught Lance up in stronger arms than her own. "Come, little one!" he urged, climbing over the barrier towards his shop. "The riots have already started."

"Riots?" Pidge squeaked, hurrying after him.

"The shishi spread fear through their dust. Some victims will attack anything that moves" was the hasty explanation. "Quickly now. This way!"

Pidge stumbled to keep up, following the bookseller across the road and into his shop. He led her through the shadows to a narrow closet at the back.

"In here. Quick!"

Pidge stopped before her foot crossed the threshold. "There's not enough room for us all."

"I'll stand guard at the front," he replied with a soft smile. "Now hurry." He set Lance inside and pushed her in. He was closing the door when Pidge threw a hand out to catch the wood.

"Wait! What's…what's your name?"

"Ghovu, miss," he said. Then he nodded to Lance whose blackened skin stood out even in the dark, and added, "He'll start hallucinating soon. Keep him as quiet as you can. There's rope if he gets too active." Then he shut the door, and Pidge heard locks slide into place.

Resting her forehead against the door, she whispered, "Thank you, Ghovu."

Pidge hated herself for doing it but she found the rope and bound Lance's hands and feet. She knew that if he turned violent, she wouldn't be able to fend him off without seriously hurting him; prevention was the better route. Using her jacket as a pillow and his as a blanket, she made him comfortable on the floor, her bayard within easy reach while his she stowed in her jacket. Her hands trembled as she worked yet she fought to keep that same tremor out of her voice as she spoke. "We're going to be okay, Lance. We're going to be just fine."

Lance whimpered for several minutes and then tears rolled down his cheeks as he began to talk: "Please. Please. Wanna go home…"

"I know. I know you do -"

"They'll kill them if I'm not there… Galra will take Earth, take home… They'll all die…"

What was he talking about? Why would he think something so horrible? "No, they won't, Lance!" Pidge protested softly. "Do you hear me? Do you understand? Zarkon won't ever take Earth because we'll stop him before he even tries. Your family will be safe, Lance."

"We're all going to die…" he moaned, unaware that she had even spoken.

"No, we're not!" Pidge would have shouted at him if not for the rioters outside so she settled for snarling at him, but Lance couldn't hear her.

…

"Not a good 'nough pilot. Not a good 'nough paladin. Nothing t'offer. I'm sorry."

Pidge listened in growing horror as Lance continued to cry.

 _The shishi spread fear through their dust._ Lance was suffering every fear he hoarded away in his heart, and Pidge could only listen. Nothing she said made a difference – it was like he couldn't hear her, couldn't even feel the ropes binding him. He was lost to his fears, and Pidge could do absolutely nothing to help.

…

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Just the…seventh wheel… Not good for…'nything…"

…

Pidge flinched when someone screamed outside but Lance remained unaware.

"Not good 'nough for Blue. She deserves better but she's stuck with me. I'm sorry, Blue."

…

"Please don't leave me 'lone. I'll try harder, Shiro, I promise. I'll train harder… I'll do better… I'll… I promise."

…

"The team's all I've got… There's nothing left. We're all that's left, only don't leave me 'lone. Please…please…"

…

"Don't tell them. They can't know. Paladins can't be afraid. They can't know."

Biting back her own tears, Pidge lifted his head and wiggled under him, settling him in her lap. She couldn't speak through her sobs but she carded her fingers through his hair and hated how helpless and useless she was.

And Lance continued to cry and confess.

And the screams and shouting got louder; wood splintered; and glass shattered; and Pidge hoped that Shiro, Keith, Hunk, Allura and Coran – all on their own shopping expeditions – were safe.

Ghovu didn't come back, and all Pidge could do was stroke Lance's hair and cheeks with shaking hands as they huddled in the dark closet.

-:-:-:-

Hunk kept his activated bayard at the ready and mentally thanked Pidge again for setting the standard of always carrying a weapon, even in civilian clothes, even when it was just a trip to the market. The riots had come out of nowhere: one minute, he and Coran had been selecting herbs, tubers, and meat, and the next, someone with black and cracked skin around the eyes had nearly tried to tear Coran's arm off – with her teeth. They'd had to fight their way through the market and to their rendez-vous point at the restaurant. They'd had to wait, pacing and twitching, for the others to return, and Allura, Shiro and Keith had, though all three had received cuts and bruises.

Lance and Pidge never came back.

Hunk had been all for going back out, guns blazing, but Shiro had talked him down: going out would have been suicide, the two were probably taking shelter somewhere; and though Hunk had eventually agreed, he hadn't stopped worrying about his best friend and their youngest teammate.

"Pidge isn't helpless," Keith had said, "and neither's Lance. They're both capable. We'll find them once this is over."

Now, hours after the riots had ended, Hunk and Keith systematically went through store after store, Coran, Shiro and Allura helping with the people and destruction. They worked through the night, four of Oi'ip's six moons illuminating the world in silver. Hunk's hands were slick with sweat but remained unnervingly steady as he aimed his blaster at every doorway and shadowed corner. He tried to avoid the different colours of blood that smeared the road and dappled the hard-packed walls, but he had to watch his step, especially when a section of the road had bizarrely curled away from the ground to form a five-foot-high barrier along one side of the street. Several people were already out, taking the bodies and searching for loved ones; a few scavengers went through clothes and bags for anything of value.

That was how Hunk saw it. In the growing light of dawn, a barefooted male with claw marks down one side of his pale pink face stooped in the dirt and picked up a familiar length of green cloth.

"DROP IT!" Hunk shouted, taking aim and startling Keith beside him. "Drop it right now, man. I'm warning you!"

The scavenger took one look at the blaster and obeyed, racing away in the other direction. Hunk kept his bayard up just in case while Keith swooped in to grab the cloth.

"Hunk…" Purple eyes were wide as trembling hands held Pidge's headband.

For once, Hunk was beyond shock. His keen eyes narrowed at the strange section of road-turned-barrier and then looked back at the innocent-looking headband that hid an Olkari gem. "Alert the others," he heard himself say, his tone clipped and firm. "We've got a lead."

Keith nodded and spoke into the coms unit they had filched from a store while Hunk headed for the barrier. "Keith!" he called at the sight of the tracks in the revealed earth.

Keith was beside him within seconds, crouching and inspecting. "They were here," he announced, tracing footprints. "They came this way. Lance's tracks end here – it looks like he fell and got picked up – and Pidge climbed over the wall here."

Hunk kept one eye on Keith. With the other, he scanned nearby. There were fewer bodies this close to the market's edge, but his eyes zeroed in on a lone, orange fellow with hoof-like feet…which looked to match a set of prints in the dirt. "There," he said.

Keith looked up, ascertained Hunk's hypothesis, and nodded. "Let's check it out. Shiro, we're heading into a bookstore on the east end. We'll keep you posted."

 _"Copy that. Stay alert,"_ Shiro replied over the open channel.

-:-:-:-

Pidge snapped awake when she heard footsteps in the shop. A quick check on Lance told her he still breathed but had mercifully fallen silent. Hushed voices drifted through the silent air, too quiet for her to distinguish who or what spoke. She held Lance and her breath as those footsteps drew closer.

The knob jiggled.

"Locked," someone muttered. A familiar someone.

Before Pidge could open her mouth, a red-and-white sword slammed through the thin wood, and the door splintered apart, letting in a flood of morning light past a familiar figure.

"Pidge! Lance! Shiro, we found…!" Keith trailed off, his relieved anger dissolving into horror, and Pidge looked down at Lance. The black around his eyes had faded but only to a dark grey. It was still nauseating to look at. His hands and feet were still tied.

Pidge looked back up at Keith and Hunk, her brain thick with exhaustion and terror. "Help him," she rasped.

Hunk carried Lance while Keith supported Pidge out into the street and daylight. Ghovu lay sprawled outside the smashed front door, face-down and unmoving. His yellow blood glistened in the bright sunshine, and Pidge barely managed to turn her head away and avoid Keith when she threw up.

Keith removed her glasses and rubbed her back, sidestepping so she couldn't see the kind bookseller. Not that she could see anything since her eyes were squeezed shut as she continued to heave.

"Easy, easy," he soothed. "It'll be all right."

Tears streamed down Pidge's face, tears for Ghovu, for Lance, for this shishi-cursed town with its beautiful markets, and tears of pain as her stomach rebelled and her body ached.

"Come on, Pidge. Up we get," Keith said when she stopped gagging. He crouched in front of her and Pidge was far too tired to do anything more than wind her arms around his neck and lean on him. He hoisted her up and she rested her wet cheek against the curve of his shoulder.

-:-:-:-

"It's called fear ash," Coran explained quietly to the group huddled around Lance's bed in the infirmary. "The shishi are renowned for making it, as well as using it on the unsuspecting."

"So he'll be all right?" Hunk asked, his eyes darting to Lance every other second.

Coran smiled. "Yes. The healing pods can't do much in this case, but he will be quite all right. Now, Pidge." He turned to her. "Did he talk at all? Was he hallucinating?"

Pidge, sitting in a chair only a foot from the bed, bit her lip and nodded.

"Did he hurt you at all?"

She shook her head but Coran frowned.

"There are bruises on your legs," he observed stiffly, "and there's blood in your hair." From off a nearby table, he snatched a bio-scanner. "Do I need to use this?"

If it was in his hand, he had used it already. "It wasn't him," she said. "It wasn't."

"Pidge," Shiro said slowly, "if Lance hurt you –"

"It still wouldn't be his fault! It wasn't his fault!"

"Is that why you tied him up?" Hunk asked. Pidge hated how sad his eyes were.

"No, no. Ghovu, he said… he said some victims turned violent. I didn't want to…but I had to…" Tears dribbled down her face and she sniffed, wiping her face on her sleeve. "I'm sorry."

Coran regarded her warily. "You're telling us that Lance didn't hurt you? That he didn't lay a finger on you?" Pidge nodded and Coran's expression softened. "Then why does my scanner say that you look like you got run over by an angry klanmüirl? Shishi aren't known for physical attacks."

Pidge looked away at that, muttering, "It wasn't a klanmüirl or a shishi."

Coran froze, his eyes widening, alarming everyone.

"Pidge…" Keith began.

"It wasn't Lance's fault," she mumbled, eyes still averted. "I got knocked down. Everyone panicked. The shishi was right there. She smiled at Lance like they were playing some game but everyone was screaming and running. I got knocked down."

"You actually saw a shishi?" Allura gasped, speaking for the first time since they had entered the infirmary.

"Was it just one?" Pidge wondered absently. "They all looked alike. The second one could have been the first. I don't know. They all looked the same..." She trailed off, her breaths hitching in her chest as she fought down sobs.

"Pidge." Shiro stepped closer, crouching to be on her level. "I know you're scared but we can't help you and Lance if we don't know what happened."

"We should get her into a pod," Coran said softly to Shiro.

"No." Pidge sniffed and sat up in her chair. "It's okay. I'm okay. I'll tell if it'll help Lance."

"Number Five, you were nearly trampled!"

"And I'm _fine_! Please, Coran, it's just bruises. It's fine." Looking back at Shiro whose expression was pained, she started talking. "Lance and I had just finished the list and were heading to the restaurant when Lance stopped outside a jewellery store. He wanted to pick up something sparkly for Allura..." She told them everything - the stampede, Lance's blackened eyes, half-dragging him along the street, facing the shishi, Ghovu rescuing them from the victims - right up to the point where Ghovu locked them in the closet to protect them. No one interrupted her, even Allura was silent, and Pidge kept her eyes firmly on Shiro.

"I'm sorry I tied him up. I'm sorry I couldn't do more. He wouldn't stop talking and, and nothing I said made a difference. He didn't even know I was there. I couldn't help him. He just…wouldn't stop talking." She skipped over the details of what he said - Lance's fears were not hers to tell - and finished with Keith smashing down the door.

"Okay," Shiro murmured into the tense silence. "That was good, Pidge." His voice broke. "Now, let's get you into a pod."

"Come along, Pidge," Allura said, laying a hand on Pidge's shoulder. "I'll help you get ready. Coran?"

Pidge lost track of what happened after but she could only assume that Allura helped her into a white jumpsuit for the pod, that Coran had a pod ready within minutes, and that the boys all, save the one who lay unconscious on the bed, promised to see her soon. Before climbing in, though, Hunk pressed something into her hands: her headband.

-:-:-:-

Lance awoke slowly but didn't open his eyes just yet because he was too busy enjoying the feeling of fingers running through his hair. "Feels nice, Hunk," he mumbled.

Those fingers froze and it occurred to Lance that they were a little on the small side…

"I'm not Hunk," Pidge said quietly.

 _Pidge?_

"Should…should I stop? I didn't know you were awake…"

"No. It's – it's fine." Why the quiznak was _Pidge_ petting him? What had happened? He peeked open an eye and was alarmed by the relief emanating from her. His head was in her lap and they most definitely were on a bed in the infirmary. So many jokes flew into Lance's mouth but he didn't voice them. Maybe it was because Pidge looked like she was about to cry.

He sat up carefully and faced her. His head swam a little but other than that, he felt fine. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing," she answered. "Nothing's wrong. Everything is the way it should be." She crawled forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. Lance stiffened because Pidge was _hugging him!?_ "You're okay now. There's nothing to be scared of."

Remembrance seared Lance's brain like lightning: the shishi, the mob, the fear, the endless words he had spilled to Pidge who had been right there.

Lance hugged her back but couldn't think of anything to say. It then occurred to him that Pidge was talking.

"…not useless or replaceable. You're one of my best friends. Blue loves you. We love you. We wouldn't be Voltron without you. Don't you ever say crap like that again, do you understand? Don't ever think any of it ever again or I swear I'll tell Hunk!"

The idea of what Hunk would do to him if he ever found out sent a shiver of horror down Lance's spine, and he found himself begging, "Don't tell Hunk."

Pidge pulled back to scowl at him, though it was ruined by her tears. Pidge was crying? Because of him? "Then stop being an idiot. You are not anyone's seventh wheel. You were chosen, same as me, same as Keith and Hunk and Shiro. We're all part of this incredible team! You're a leg we stand and depend on – without you, we fall – so get that through your head!"

 _Green's Paladin is right, my Paladin,_ Blue purred at him. _Blue does not settle. Blue will not settle. My Paladin is Blue's and Blue is my Paladin's. Pride Voltron depends on all, and all depend on Pride Voltron._

"It's all right to be afraid." Both Blue and Pidge said it at the same time but Pidge continued, "But it's not all right to be afraid of us or Blue rejecting you because, seriously, Lance, what would we do without you? We _need_ you. We need you as the Blue Paladin but we also need you as you because this is a quiznaking war we were all dragged into, and we need to be reminded that there's still something to laugh about."

Lance hesitated, everything in him conflicting with the fear that had been brought to the foreground, but tears cascaded down Pidge's round cheeks and she was ghostly pale and her whole body shook. He hesitated and then gave Blue a mental hug before leaning forward and wiping those tears away.

"Okay," he said, trying to smile. "I get it. I get it. It's okay, Pidge. Don't cry. It's okay."

Pidge sniffed and buried her face in his shirt front and Lance held onto her, stroking her back and hair.

Movement in his peripheral alerted him to Hunk with a laden food tray in hand. Shiro, Keith, Allura and Coran were all behind him. Lance's heart faltered – what had they overheard? – but then he looked down at Pidge who was slowly calming down. Pidge who relied on facts more than opinions. Pidge who never lied outright (discounting the girl-thing but he couldn't fault her for that). Pidge who had just told him that he was needed and wanted and loved right here, in Outer Space, in the middle of a war.

He dared to glance back at the others and found them all smiling.

"It's good to have you back, man," Hunk said, striding in. The rest followed.

Pidge sat up so quickly that she almost nailed Lance in the chin. He laughed, ruffled her hair, and said, "It's good to be back."

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	17. Chapter 17: Downtime

**bayboo20:** Thank you!

 **Guest:** I'm getting better at figuring out cut-off points for arcs so if it is an arc, there will definitely (hopefully) be a 'Part I', etc. with the chapter title. I really didn't want to separate Chapter 16 into parts, so it was just one long thing. Thank you! :)

 **Cielmatica:** Not at all! I live for angst and hurt/comfort! I was actually a little nervous about the lack of build-up, but I'm glad it played out well. :) I have an extensive imagination, and I read a lot of books and watch a lot of TV and movies, so I get a lot of ideas of how to throw people into dire situations. I will tell you now that Pidge does not get hurt in this chapter. :D Thank you for reviewing!

 **Star-The-Writer:** Hahaha! I'll get in line behind you! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you! Here's your update!

 **TMNT-Queen:** *Resurrects you again* Stop dying! :D Thank you so much, Queen! I hope this next chapter satisfies your need to hug the precious paladins.

 **Alkirian:** I don't do it to you, I promise! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! On another note, congratulations on your essay, but I must say that I can take none of the credit. It was all you, hon! Thank you for reviewing!

 **ally-dash.77:** Aw, thank you! Have some more fluff! As for your question, I don't take requests, per se (I don't want to feel obligated to write something I might not want to). They're prompts from reviewers. But if you have an idea, throw it at me! :D

 **KnightOwl247:** *Hands you tissues* I'm sorry but thank you.

 **Guest:** Thank you so much! I will totally use that in future chapters! :)

 **GlaceonSnow:** Thank you! I'm glad you love them. I love writing them. :) Thank you for the prompt!

 **Rookblonkorules:** Thank you! I was thrilled to write this one! It was fascinating to watch Pidge struggle in helplessness *sadistically rubs hands together* Sorry about Lance. I had to.

 **What is Sanity:** I'm sorry for making you cry. :( *Hug* Thank you for reviewing!

 **Triscribe:** Was it really terrifying? Wow! I had to kill off someone! I'm sorry that it was Ghovu, though. :( Thank you!

 **StarRebel6:** Thank you very much! :D

 **Sparklesona:** Haha! Thank you! :D

 **Kinzichi:** Thank you! That's so kind. I'm glad you love it.

 **Guest:** Thank you so much! That's definitely a message I'm trying to portray. :)

 **PersonaBailey:** Thank you!

 **katiewinchester87:** Hopefully this chapter will help with your eye sweating. ;) That is so kind! Thank you!

 **Guest:** Holy wow, thank you! Thank you very much! :)

 **rainbowrider1290:** Thanks, hon. I needed to hear that. :) Thank you! I would love to hear what you meant by 'different'. I know long reviews can be tedious but if you ever want to PM me, feel free to. I will so keep writing, I promise! :D

 **kelli.n.c:** I agree. A lot is in store for Pidge and her friends/family. Thank you for reviewing!

 **GUEST:** Thank you! Will do!

 **avidbeader:** Thank you so much! I probably should have explained that section of accusation a bit more but Coran and Allura are aware of what shishi do and what their fear ash does do with some people. It could very well have taken laid-back Lance and turned him hostile. They didn't know, and I guess they were still panicking at the whole situation, possible and real. Up until the infirmary scene, Pidge hadn't said anything about what had happened. Plus, Lance had been tied up. Everybody was drawing conclusions from presented evidence but, yeah, they totally jumped the gun on Lance. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. :) You always leave such wonderful reviews! I love writing this series, and I honestly don't see an end right now, if ever.

 **TeenTitansFanForever02:** Aww! Thank you! :)

For **22velvetspoons** who prompted me with hair-playing. Enjoy!

 _Chapter 17: Downtime_

 _Blue's Paladin approaches, my Paladin,_ Green warned Pidge.

"Is he now?" Pidge snickered and wiggled backwards out of the access shaft in Green's belly. "At least he has good timing."

 _Agreed, my Paladin. Green feels good as new._

"Pidge! Pidge! Pidge!" Lance shouted. "Where are you? I need your help with something!"

"Give me a minute!" Pidge yelled back.

"Where are you? Wait, are you crawling around inside Green again?"

"She got a piston jarred loose in our last fight!" she replied and slid out entirely. Wiping her forehead, she added, "Hunk told me how to fix it since he can't get up into Green."

"Oh, right. Cool. Well, if you're done, I've a mission for you, should you choose to accept it."

Pidge cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "I hope you don't self-destruct after you tell me."

"Touché." Lance grinned wide. "We're in need of your expertise, Pidgeykins. Hunk and I are building a blanket fort in the common and – hey, where are you going?"

Pidge raced for the hangar door. "Where do you think? I've got a closet full of blankets we can use! I'll meet you there!"

Lance chased after her. "Does this mean you're helping?"

"No! It means I'm going to scrap whatever pitiful lean-to you've come up with and show you how to make a real fort!"

Four trips from her room and several trips from the training deck to the common later, Pidge had commandeered the operation and was only a _little_ smug when Lance's eyes widened at her design that slowly came to life.

"This is gonna be great, Pidge!" Hunk praised. "Only you would have thought to use the training drones as pillars."

"Did you leave any on the deck?" asked Lance with a grin.

Pidge snorted a laugh. "Heck no. Keith's going to have to use his imagination if he wants to train."

The others guffawed, and they continued to work.

-:-:-:-

Shiro exited the training deck with Keith several hours later, both of them disgruntled over the sudden disappearance of the drones.

"They were there this morning," Keith grumbled again. "I don't know what happened."

"I'm not blaming you," Shiro said, trying to smile despite his frustration. "Maybe Coran had to do some tweaking on them?"

"Yeah, maybe." Keith shrugged.

They went their separate ways to shower and regrouped in the kitchen where they could smell the beginnings of dinner.

"Wow, Hunk! It smells amazing in here," said Shiro. "You haven't been cooking all afternoon, have you?"

"Nah, just the last hour" was the reply. Hunk set the final touches on a platter and handed it to the mice. Somehow, all four bore the heavy plate away on their backs, squeaking excitedly.

Shiro looked after the platter with a frown. "Where are they going with the food? Unless that's theirs?"

"No, no. It's for us. Lance, Pidge and I have been in the common. Team-building exercise," he explained. "Here, take this."

"Doing what?" Shiro asked, balancing the laden tray.

Hunk's grin was nothing short of conspiratory. "I'll show you. Here, Keith." He handed him another tray. "Follow me."

Hunk took the last of the trays and led the way. Shiro traded looks with Keith before shrugging and following him out the door.

They didn't go far until Shiro slammed to a halt in mixed awe and surprise. "Hey, Keith. I found a couple of those drones."

"What?" Keith poked his head around him and Shiro snickered when his eyes bugged wide. "What the quiznak?"

Halfway down the hall to the common, their way had become blocked by a tunnel of blankets. Drones were placed strategically along both sides, blanket edges clenched in robotic fingers.

Hunk laughed. "The drones were Pidge's idea."

"You built a _fort_?" Shiro was more upset that they hadn't invited him to join than at the fact that this was probably breaking castle protocol.

"The fort's in the common," Hunk replied, ducking a little to enter the tunnel. "This is just one of the entrances."

Shiro and Keith hurried after him. "So, uh, do Coran and Allura know what you've been up to?"

"Coran found us setting up the drones in the halls and pretty much dragged Allura in to help. They've been great. They're very enthusiastic. Apparently, they didn't have blanket forts on Altea."

"What kind of planet doesn't have blanket forts?" gasped Keith.

Hunk just shrugged but then they reached the common and the sheer majesty of the team-building exercise halted all questions and comments. Shiro and Keith stared, jaws dropped, at the eight-foot-high ceilings (courtesy of the drones' outstretched arms) that covered a vast majority of the room. The sunken pit and surrounding couches had been filled with nests of pillows and comforters, low tables offering a place for a buffet of drinks and finger foods. Orbs the size of Shiro's fist hovered in midair in precise spots to maximize the soft glows they gave off. Down in the pit, Allura, Coran, Lance and Pidge cheered and laughed as the last two paladins were brought into the know.

"Finally!" Lance crowed, hopping up and striding over. Shiro noted that his and everyone else's shoes were off to the side. "We thought you'd never get here!"

"An invite would have been nice," Keith grumbled.

"Aw, is wittwe Keith mad at us for weaving him out of the fun?"

"If my hands weren't full, I'd punch you."

"I can help with that!" Pidge darted in, took Keith's tray, and grinned up at him. "Go loose, Keith!"

"Not the face! Not my pretty face!" Lance shrieked, fleeing. But he was in his socks on a smooth surface; Keith tackled him before he made three strides.

Shiro looked down at Pidge's wide smile and shook his head. "You're incorrigible," he told her.

"You say it like I don't know! Come on in, Shiro. You can put your tray there. Oh, and shoes off!"

Shiro followed her, trying to ignore the yelps from the grappling pair, and smiled at Allura and Coran.

"Shiro, why didn't you tell me your people possessed such a wondrous skill as this?" Allura gushed, waving a hand at their finished project.

"It never came up, Princess," he replied, setting the tray down and picking up a small plate for himself. He settled on her free side. "Besides, stuff like this is more of a kid thing."

"Family thing!" Lance corrected from where Keith had him pinned on his stomach, an arm behind his back. "Ow, ow, ow! Yield, Keith! Geez! Yield!"

Keith smirked at him but gave him a helpful hand up.

"It's a family thing," Lance continued, stretching out his arm as they sank onto cushions and pillows, Keith's boots outside the circle of coziness. "I mean, sure, we use little kids as an excuse but in my family, even the adults don't miss an opportunity like this."

"I see." Coran pulled his moustache thoughtfully. "Then your claims of this being a team-building exercise are well-founded."

"What? You thought we made it up?" teased Hunk. "Everybody's gotta do the work, help out, even if it's getting the stuff."

"Keith and I didn't do much," Shiro pointed out.

"Ah, don't worry about it." Pidge waved off the comment. "You were busy, though I'm impressed you lasted on the training deck as long as you did without the drones."

"We were wondering where they'd gone," Keith put in.

Lance laughed. "It was Pidge's idea to get them. She and Hunk reprogrammed them so they actually held the blankets up. We were just going to drape the blankets over them, originally."

"You guys did an awesome job," said Shiro, and all five beamed.

"Tuck in, everyone!" Hunk encouraged. "Before the mice eat it all."

-:-:-:-

Pidge burped, "Excuse me," and settled more deeply in her nest. Lance and Hunk were geniuses to have come up with making a fort in the common and she was proud of them, but she was more proud of her own genius design. She had learned from the best, after all. She and Matt had been making blanket forts since as far back as she could remember, hiding from everything from storms to responsibility. They had done everything in them: their homework, she her coding, he his astronomy charts, shared their dreams and goals, read together, told scary stories together, stuffed their faces full of junk food together.

Matt would have loved this...

Lance cracking his knuckles snapped her out of her reverie. "All right," he announced. "Now that we're all fed and watered, it's time for the time-honoured tradition of blanket fort activities."

"Time to go," said Keith.

Shiro grabbed him and yanked him back down. "Team-building," he reminded him while Keith scowled.

Pidge giggled but shut up when Lance grinned at her. "What?"

"Oh, come on, Pidgeykins! You know what comes next."

"I'm not playing Spin the Bottle!"

"What? No! We're gonna braid your hair."

Silence.

"What?" Pidge deadpanned.

"You can't honestly tell me that you grew up knowing how to make the best forts and not know that you're supposed to get your hair braided whilst in one," Lance chided. "Because that's just ridiculous."

"Ridiculous," Hunk echoed.

"Absolutely ridiculous," added Shiro. "I don't have any sisters but even I knew that."

Pidge spluttered, trying to devise a way to get out of this.

"Of course, Allura gets to have her hair braided, too."

"Wonderful!" Allura exclaimed.

"Mine's too short," Pidge protested, crossing her arms over her chest.

To her horror, Lance and Hunk exchanged smiles. "You underestimate my power," said Hunk. "I'll do your hair. Lance can do Allura's."

The other boys, even Coran, chuckled, and Hunk scooted over to sit behind Pidge. He hmm'd and haw'd for a moment while she fidgeted, and then proclaimed, "Double Dutch!"

"I was about to suggest that if you didn't come up with anything," said Lance, nodding. He turned to Allura, rubbing his chin. "Ha! I've got it! Oh, this is gonna be great! Here, Allura. Sit here." He popped up onto the couch and Allura sat between his knees.

"Dinner and a show," Keith muttered to Shiro who snorted. Pidge glared at them but then Hunk's broad fingers slid the headband off her head and carded through her hair. She instantly relaxed, closing her eyes.

"What show?" Hunk demanded. "You're not just going to sit and play audience. Come here and hold this, Keith. You got the ribbons and pins, right, Lance?"

"They're on the cushion there. Hey, Shiro, hold this. I need both my hands for a sec."

Pidge peeked open an eye to see Shiro take a chunk of Allura's hair while Lance worked on another section. Keith hesitantly made his way over and took the half that Hunk wasn't playing with.

"It's her hair, Keith, not a bomb," Hunk said with a laugh. "Stop acting like it's going to explode."

"It's attached to something that can," muttered Keith.

Chuckles erupted and Pidge smacked his knee.

"How're you doing, Pidge?" Hunk's hands didn't pause in their parting and twisting as he voiced his question.

"This feels so nice," she mumbled. She heard Lance and Keith snicker.

"You've never had anyone play with your hair before, have you?"

"No. Mom only knows basic braiding and Matt can barely do a ponytail. Doing each other's hair wasn't exactly high on the list of activities we did in our forts."

"Oh, but…what about other girls? At sleepovers and stuff?"

Pidge turned her head only slightly to glance over at him. "What other girls? I graduated high school when I was twelve. You really think I had any girlfriends to do that stuff with?" She didn't mean to sound bitter – it was partly her fault anyway, not wanting to talk to her classmates, sticking close to Matt who had graduated at fourteen; Mom had said that she should have made more of an effort. But she had been _twelve_. She didn't like a lot of people in general but being a kid in a high school…everyone had just been so big. Big and popular and interested in stuff she was not.

No one said anything and she sighed. "Never mind. It doesn't matter anyway."

"It does, Pidge. It must have been lonely," said Hunk, taking the section Keith held.

"Yeah, well, I had Matt. He was the only friend I ever really needed. Or wanted."

Now those fingers paused, faltering.

"We'll get him back." It was Shiro who spoke, calm and confident.

"Yeah," said Pidge. "I know."

Hunk resumed braiding but the atmosphere was more sullen. He tied off the braids a few minutes later with a flourish, obviously trying to lighten the mood. "Finished! Keith, pass me that mirror beside you." Keith tossed it gently and Hunk caught it. "Here, Pidge. What do you think?"

Pidge took the mirror and her jaw dropped. "Hunk…this is…" Amazing. It looked amazing. The headband was useful, mostly as a weapon but also as a reminder of home: she had worn headbands all the time; but looking at her hair, pulled back and twisted into two artistic braids, she smiled. She grinned. She beamed. It was all out of her face and it looked incredible. She wasn't sure about the bright green ribbons tied in bows at the ends but…she could probably get used to them.

Hunk laughed and slung an arm over her shoulder. "You're welcome, Pidge."

Allura's braid took a lot longer because she had more hair and because it was more complicated. Pidge sat beside Lance, calculative eyes watching every move his fingers made, parting, pinning. He and Allura chatted with an unseen-before ease. He didn't flirt, she wasn't dismissive, and Lance's creation took form as two simple braids coiled together in opposite directions on her head. Like a crown.

Coran stared openly, awed - even the mice were quiet and wide-eyed - and it occurred to Lance just what he had done because his hands fell limply into his lap and he said, rather quietly, "All finished."

Shiro passed Allura the mirror wordlessly. No one spoke as she regarded her reflection with large eyes. Her mouth fell open slightly, her fingers trembled as she reached up to touch her hair, and, yes, those were definitely tears in her eyes.

"Lance." Her voice broke. She cleared her throat. "Lance, this is beautiful. Thank you."

"Yes. It truly is beautiful. Princess," Coran murmured, kissing her hand.

Lance swallowed and said, trying to be chipper, "It looks even better with flowers in it."

Allura glanced back and up at him, as she still sat between his knees. "I don't believe you so you're going to have to prove me wrong," she said with a kind smile.

Pidge elbowed him gently in the side. "Is it Keith's turn to be braided now?" she asked innocently.

"Touch my hair and I'll destroy you in training!"

Everyone crowed with laughter. In the end, Hunk sat on Keith while Shiro did Keith's mullet up in red-ribboned pigtails, and then Lance wanted to figure out how many ponytails could fit on Hunk's head. The mice were dutiful in fetching as many elastics and ribbons as they could find when Lance moved on from Hunk to Coran who giggled behind his hands the whole time. Pidge laughed herself silly when Shiro spared himself the indignity of being pinned and did his forelock up in a solemn, black bow.

They stayed up late, telling stories – horror stories, fairy tales from Altea and Earth, and shenanigans from younger years. Pidge cried from laughing twice, and her sides ached but in a good way when she dozed off against Hunk's shoulder. She smiled when someone settled her into a nest and pulled a blanket over her. She might not have had friends before but she had them now. That, she decided, was what mattered.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	18. Chapter 18: If Only in My Nightmares

**ZaffreBat17:** Thank you for loving it!

 **Guest:** Thank you!

 **bayboo20:** Thank you! Haha! I'm sorry to hear that your forts never lasted long. Ours (me and my siblings) tended to stay up for at least a day or two. Hunk can fit at least 25 ponytails on his head. :D

 **What is Insanity:** (I'm a horrible person and accidentally called you What is Sanity last chapter, I'm sorry!) Thank you so much!

 **Star-The-Writer:** Hahah! Glad to be of service! :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Alkirian:** Aww! Thank you! Congratulations on your grades and exam (I hope that little bug went well). You are more than welcome. :D

 **avidbeader:** Thank you so much! I couldn't help that "Go loose, Keith!" line, but I'm thrilled it made you laugh! :)

 **ThatOneBlondeNerd:** Thank you for sticking with me! It's a pleasure to write this and a pleasure to know you're enjoying it. :) Thank you for the prompt. I will take it and run with it, but it might be a few chapters into the future. :)

 **katiewinchester87:** Smiling requires fewer muscles than does frowning so yay for smiling! Thank you, thank you so much!

 **Leo-TheHunter:** Reviews like yours warm my heart and lift my soul! Thank you! Babies are certainly demanding, and I'm thrilled that you're enjoying this so far. On another note, no one needs the amount of angst I'm about to deliver. It's kind of brutal. :/ That's cool about the Russian faces! -) back at ya!

 **KnightOwl247:** I love family time, too! Thank you!

 **Triscribe:** Thank you so much!

 **chocolatechipwiz:** Aww! Thank you! I figured to have at least one overly sappy and fluffy chapter. Of course, it precedes the mother of all angst chapters, so...yeah. Thank you very much for your kind words. I love your long reviews (you're not rambling at all!) and I love seeing how much you enjoy my work. If you're inspired to write, just write. No one has to see it. Write for yourself. Get the crappy stuff down and then work it out. You really think I just spout a chapter in one go? I edit the crud out of it to make sure it's more or less to my liking. I just happen to have a lot of free time right now. I've also more experience writing (been writing since elementary school and have taken numerous university courses). Every expert starts out as an amateur, my dear. If you want to do something, go forth and do! Fear not! :D

 **CocoMint:** Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the fluff because it's about to get angsty.

 **just fan things:** Thank you for the prompt! I will see what I can do! Thank you for reviewing!

 **ally-dash.77:** Pidge's hair isn't shoulder-length. It's about the same in the show. I had to do a bit of research to see what kind of braids could be done for really short hair. The Double dutch, in my opinion, looks best on short hair. I felt like I was neglecting Allura and Coran in these one-shots, but they're imperative characters in the TV series. This next chapter uses them a bit more, too. I'm glad you're loving it! :)

 **Kinzichi:** They most certainly did, especially in lieu of what I'm about to do to them. Muahaha! Thank you for reviewing!

 **RavenNightwing42:** Thank you very much! I hope this chapter suits your 'deeper and darker' love. :)

 **rainbowrider1290:** Never apologise for ranting! I love long reviews! Thank you so much for clarifying Chapter 16. I was curious what you meant and am over the moon with your explanation. (*does happy dance*) I figured to go a little overboard on the cute, mostly because I needed some sappy cutsey-wootseyness. Thank you again, and I will totally keep writing! :D

 **Ms-NotCreative:** Aw, thank you! :D

 **TeenTitansFanForever02:** Thank you! If it makes you feel any better, I didn't do most of that stuff in forts, either. My siblings and I built them and then pretended we were lions or wolves. I know neither species tends to live in caves but...yeah. :)

 **AlecGateway:** Thank you so much! It appears that last chapter spawned a lot of fort building. :D

 **PersonaBailey:** D'aww! Thank you! I agree on every point; unfortunately, it was Shiro who piggy-tailed Keith's hair and Keith can't destroy Shiro in training (because Shiro's better). Shiro knew this when Hunk sat on Keith. :D

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you! There are actually a whole bunch of period Pidge fics already on FFnet so feel free to peruse through those. Some of them were pretty funny! :)

 **J-Wing:** (in response to your review of Chapter 1) Ha, yeah. Lance is quite the character. Thank you very much! I hope you enjoy the rest of the fic.

 **SpaceSquidLance:** Holy wow! Thank you! :D

 **Author's Note:** _ **ACTUALLY IMPORTANT SO PLEASE READ!**_ Rating Change for this chapter! _**I'm upping it to "T"**_ because this chapter contains some serious violence, some psychological torture, and a **suicide that is not real!** Ends on a fluffy note. I apologise in advance. If you have any questions or concerns before reading, please PM me.

For **circeanTransient** , who prompted me with a boggart, and for **Guest** (reviewed on Chapter 9) who wanted Allura and Pidge fluff. I took a few liberties on the boggart (see _Supernatural_ 2x20). Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 _Chapter 18: If Only in My Nightmares_

"So what is it exactly we're trying to find?"

Pidge sighed as Shiro did. "The locals are concerned that something in the woods is taking people," he said, answering Lance's question.

"More specifically, people under their age of majority," Allura added through the com. "A dozen children have gone missing in the last two lunar cycles, but at least twenty have disappeared during the last season."

"Did the Zyr actually say what their age of majority was?" Hunk asked, his eyes darting from giant tree to giant tree. There was little light in this forest, making the blue lights on their suits more visible.

Pidge stayed silent but Keith spoke up. "If children are going missing, then it's probably not that high, right?"

"Hm," Coran hummed in their ears. "According to our conversions, it looks like the oldest taken was what the Zyr call froomfi-yit which is about thirty in your Earth years."

Everyone froze in their tracks.

"Sorry, Coran," Shiro said. "Did you say thirty Earth years?"

"Yes, I did."

"I'm the oldest Paladin here," he said slowly. "I'm twenty-five."*

"Technically, six," Lance put in shakily. "You know, leap-year baby."

"That does not make it better, Lance!" snapped Keith, and Pidge couldn't help but agree because that meant that Keith was technically the eldest at nineteen.

"Come on, Paladins," Allura chided. "This is a mission. You've faced danger before."

"Yeah, but we usually know what we're up against or we at least have our Lions," Lance retorted. "We're on foot with nothing but our bayards and…"

Pidge didn't hear what else Lance said because something caught her eye: in the shadowed undergrowth was a pair of bright blue eyes. She stared at them, her fear abating as her analytical mind kicked in. So low to the ground, it couldn't be a predator – it was too small to cause serious harm. The creature moved, inching forward into the dappled light filtering through the canopy. It was the size of a housecat with a round body, pointed ears, and overlarge eyes. It also possessed a fur coat that glistened with a golden sheen even in this dim light, and Pidge was immediately seized with the urge to touch it. It looked so soft.

She stepped closer, her hand outstretched…

It was Keith who noticed Pidge's silence. Usually vocal at times like this – even sighing with frustration – he was surprised that she hadn't made any audible noise. But when he turned his head to check on her, she wasn't there.

"Pidge?" His call snapped Lance out of his argument with Allura, and everyone looked around.

"Did you see where she went?"

"Where'd she go?"

"Did she seriously just ditch us?"

"Pidge?" Shiro tried the com. "Pidge, where are you? Answer me, Pidge!"

"Hey, guys?" said Hunk. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

About to reply, Keith was sidetracked by several pairs of bright blue eyes in the undergrowth…

-:-:-:-

Pidge awoke to a harsh voice in her ear. "Are you awake now, paladin? You'd better be."

She was hauled to her feet – her bare feet? – and shoved forward, and she heard a cloak rustle behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she bit her tongue on a scream.

It was the druid! The same druid that had captured her and Keith! She was close enough to see his smile, twisted and gruesome, in his cowl's shadows.

"I told you the arena would love to see something of your calibre," he sneered. "You may be bold and brave, little paladin, but such traits will not save you here."

He pushed her out into a great arena, the ground a hard-packed dirt, ruined columns offered scanty cover from attackers, and in the stands were the crowds, loud and jeering. Pidge stumbled, caught herself, and straightened. Her hands shook beside her.

"Green Paladin, welcome! It has been too long!"

Pidge's head whipped around at the familiar voice. "Sendak!" she snarled.

Sendak sat in a high-backed chair in the front, middle row of the stands, and smirked at her. "Yes. I must thank Shiro for ejecting me from the castle. A passing fleet picked me up and I was given an early retirement. Now, I organise games." He gestured with his biological hand (Pidge was sorry to see that a new cyberarm had been attached to the arm she had severed), and the crowd roared in pleasure.

"And what a game we have today! We have several prisoners lined up for execution and guess who's going to do the honours?"

"I won't kill anyone for you!" Pidge spat.

Sendak smiled. "Maybe not for me…but what about for him?"

Like in a scene out of a B-rated movie, a canvas was lifted nearby to reveal a cage, inside of which was –

"Matt!"

"Katie, Katie!" her brother shouted at her. He clutched the thick bars of his cage that was too small for him to stand upright in. He knelt, his clothes rags, and tears spilled down his cheeks. "Katie, run! You gotta get out of here! Run!"

Pidge glared back at Sendak. "Let him go."

"You're in no position to make demands. Do as I ask or watch him die. Your choice."

"Katie, please!"

Pidge gritted her teeth. "Fine," she bit out.

Sendak lifted a hand. "Bring out the prisoners!"

Two sentries came out through a door on the far side, dragging a thrashing Galran between them. His hands and feet were in chains.

"This soldier went mad and butchered his family, including his three children," Sendak explained. "He is an animal and will be put down like one."

The Galran was a little on the small side, his yellow eyes no less baleful and his teeth no less sharp as he snapped and screeched against his chains. Pidge drew back. She had never seen anything so savage and wild.

A sentry tossed a dagger in her direction. More like a short sword, the blade was as long as her forearm and looked wickedly sharp.

"Kill him," Sendak ordered. "The manner is up to you, but I suggest you make it quick. We've a busy day ahead of us."

Pidge picked up the knife – it felt unfamiliar and awkward in her hand – and steadied her grip with her other hand. She had never used a sword in her life, but she had seen Keith fight with one and knew where to hit. Her best and safest point was the neck.

She advanced slowly, flinching every time the Galran screeched. The sentries held him steady and one pushed his head back, baring his neck.

She raised her blade. _For Matt,_ she told herself, and struck.

The crowd applauded, though her kill was far from clean and efficient, and the sentries dragged him off, tossing him to the side and returning to the same doors through which they had entered.

Right. Prisoners. More than one.

The second was, to Pidge's astonishment, a shishi. The creature laughed as the sentries dragged her forward, her long purple hair swinging, and Pidge had no issue in killing her. She stepped back, letting the creature fall on her face, and Pidge couldn't help but think of Ghovu, face-down in his own blood.

The third was another Galran, and Sendak gave a bit of background: "This former warden set off a series of bombs in his own prison complex, killing at least a dozen of his own men and four dozen slaves, including your father. Apparently, the warden believed a prison break was imminent and his men were in on it. When we investigated, we found his beliefs unfounded."

Pidge's knuckles whitened around her weapon's hilt. Her father was dead because of this beast. She strode forward, her brain a quiet hum of rage.

The Galran whimpered at her approach, tears streaking down furry cheeks. Pidge made herself not care as she slashed. She was getting better at this but she took no pride in it. Her fury overpowered everything else, and the crowd cheered.

When the sentries returned with two Ipryn between them, Pidge hesitated, but then Sendak spoke again, "These two Ipryn went against our orders to recolonize their home planet and blew it up instead. Millions of people and countless resources, all ash."

Pidge held back her tears for Yra and Queen Jura and all of her adoptive Siblings, and slammed her blade home. Twice. Her actions wouldn't bring her Siblings back but at least they were avenged. Pidge just felt empty now. She was getting tired. Her hands and front were sticky with blood.

The sentries dragged the two bodies away to the small row along the side and finally exited the arena.

Sendak clapped along with the crowd, smiling at her with his eerie, mismatched eyes. "Very good, paladin. Very good indeed."

Pidge didn't let go of her sword as she said, "I did what you wanted. Now let my brother go."

"Of course, of course. All in good time. But first, you have two more tests to complete. The first is fairly straightforward and you won't need a weapon for it," he continued, pointedly ignoring Pidge's glare. "When you hear this sound –" there was a pleasant chime – "you must remain silent until you hear this." The chime sounded again but three times in slow succession. "If you make any sound whatsoever, your brother's life is forfeit. Do not speak, do not cry out. Do you understand?"

Pidge nodded once.

The chime rang, such a strange, juxtaposing sound for this hell-hole, and Pidge clamped her mouth shut. Sendak waved his hand and five druids stepped out of the shadows. One by one, they lifted their gnarled hands and magic danced between their fingers – not magic aimed to hurt or kill but to reveal.

 _NO! No, no, no, no, no!_

Her sword hit the dirt as horror and bile rose in her throat. The five bodies in the ring shimmered and changed, and the mad Galran was Keith, his dark eyes blank and lifeless; the shishi was Lance – why did she leave him face-down like he didn't matter? – the warden was Hunk, those self-same tears still drying on his cheeks; and the traitorous Ipryn were Allura and Coran, and there was nothing but confusion on their frozen faces.

Pidge bit down on her fist, her mind screaming at her, at what she had done. Sendak had tricked her, tricked her into killing her friends, her family. Tears streamed down her face, her breathing ragged, but she forced herself to make no noise. Matt still depended on her. She was a killer and a monster but at least she would save Matt. She had to, she had to, she had to.

Then came that cursed chime, happy and pretty in its three long notes. Pidge waited until the last echo had faded and then slumped to her knees, sobbing while the audience in the stands erupted in applause.

Sendak smirked – she could hear that smirk in his voice – as he said, "Well done, paladin." Like he was mildly impressed. "Now for your final test. On your feet, paladin. You will need your wits and your weapon for this."

Pidge gulped back another sob and stood shakily, picking up her blade. She wanted to die. She wanted to die right here and now, but she couldn't because Matt still needed her and she would not fail another brother.

"Prepare yourself, paladin, and fight to the death."

Pidge only had time to look up at Sendak before a door immediately to her right swished open and out leaped –

"Shiro? Shiro!" Pidge's heart soared at the sight – she wasn't alone, she wasn't the last paladin, Shiro would come up with a plan and get them out, help her save Matt; everything was going to be all right – but her heart quickly faltered when he ran at her, his Galra hand activated and humming, and his eyes gleamed yellow.

"Shiro! Shiro, stop!" Pidge blocked desperately with her knife, stumbling back. "Please, stop! No!"

She blocked again, her bare feet sliding in the dirt. She had fought Shiro before but never like this, never with an unfamiliar weapon, never with Shiro giving his all, never to the death.

She tried to feint but Shiro slashed at her, pain searing up her side, and she collapsed. Not even twenty seconds had passed since that door had opened. She struggled to get up, biting back tears, but, no. No, it was done. She was done. She had failed. From what felt like far away, the crowd jeered, booed, and hollered.

Shiro paced a few feet away, clearly wondering if she was going to get back up.

 _How honourable,_ she sneered at him. Even controlled by the Galra, Shiro had some sense of honour.

"Katie, no!" Matt shouted at her. "You can't give up! Get up, Katie!"

But Pidge knew she couldn't. The pain was too great. She couldn't push through. She had failed, failed, failed, failed. This couldn't be happening. She had come too far, done too much, for all of it to suddenly go up in smoke.

Where was Green? The question came out of nowhere and made perfect sense. Where were the Lions? Pidge had killed Keith and Lance and Hunk. By all rights and reason, Red, Blue and Yellow should be barging in here and disintegrating her. Where was their rage, their pain, at the deaths of their pilots? Where was Black when Shiro was a servant to the Galra? Why would they abandon them? Was it even possible for the Lions to reject a pilot? Was it even possible for them to rip their own hearts out? The Lions were above betrayal, above all the things that made humans turn against each other, greed and envy and dishonesty and cruelty. The Lions were perfect parts of a perfect whole - surely, they were incapable of turning traitor. The pilots, sure. Zarkon had betrayed all of Voltron because of his lust for power. But the Lions? Impossible. Theoretically and practically and factually impossible.

So why was Green not _shouting_ at her, _warning_ her, _fighting_ with and for her? Why was she not just silent but not even _there?_ Pidge couldn't feel her _at all.  
_

This. Was. Not. Happening.

She held something. Her fingers curled and flexed through...soft. Something...so...soft...

Her mind spiralled out, faces - Shiro? Lance? Guys? - and shapes - were those trees? - and colours - blue, blue, so much blue - smearing together, and still that constant soft something, like fur. Like long...soft...fur...

She snapped back into the present - was this the present? How did she know? What proof was there that this was real?

What proof was there that this wasn't real?

Pidge still held her knife. Its handle was slick in her grip. Touch. She could touch.

Matt was screaming at her, the crowd roaring. She could hear.

She lifted her eyes, saw Sendak and the arena and Shiro who still paced, wary and unsure.

She could smell the blood on her clothes, smell her own sweat, smell the earth beneath her.

And yet...there was something inside her - her brain, her bones, or maybe her soul - that whispered, _False, false, false, lies, lies, lies._

And her hands no longer felt the knife that was definitely in her grip, but silk-like fur. Her fingers teased through the strands but try as she could, she couldn't see it. Like she was stuck in a dream and someone was trying to wake her up but her body didn't want to.

In some tiny corner of her mind, an option presented itself, horrifying yet appealing. But if this was a dream... Even if it wasn't, it was perfect. The perfect way to get back at Sendak, to deprive him of this great victory. She would still be dead, Matt would be doomed, but maybe she would see him again. She hoped she saw her family again. She hoped she could apologise and that they would forgive her. If this wasn't a dream.

The druid had been right. Boldness and bravery had not saved her here. If this wasn't a dream.

Pidge rolled to her knees, her vision whitening with pain - real? not real? - and turned her head to Matt. She smiled at him, even as tears ran down her cheeks. "I love you," she said, because that, at least, was a truth; and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shiro pause and understand what she was doing. He charged her, right hand near-white, and she plunged the knife into her chest –

And opened her eyes to dim light: sunset in thick forest. Something squealed, and Pidge, lying on her back, lifted her head to see a creature the size of a housecat, with pointed ears and a round body, wiggle in top of her. Blue eyes burned with determination but Pidge was ready, ready and whole, unharmed from whatever had just (not?) happened. She punched it as hard as she could, sending it to the ground.

Such soft fur…

"NO!" she screamed, lunging to her feet. She slammed her foot into the thing's face, punting it. It flew twenty feet, hit a massive tree with a sickening crunch, and fell to the leaf-littered floor with a muffled thump. She stood still, her legs shaking, her chest heaving. She swayed and caught herself on another tree, hanging onto it to keep upright.

Looking around, she saw faces, so many faces – Zyr children, but even at a glance she knew some were missing from the total that had been taken, and Shiro, Keith, Lance, and Hunk – and all were lying on the forest floor, a fluffy creature on their chests, hands buried in thick fur. Pain twisted their features; whimpers and moans fell from their mouths.

She had gotten out of her hell. They were still trapped in theirs.

She was still in her paladin armour. She still had her bayard in its compartment on her hip.

She forewent the bayard, fury sizzling through her veins, and the Olkari gem at the base of her skull heated.

-:-:-:-

As soon as the coms went down for all five paladins, Allura and Coran launched the Castle of Lions and released the Lions from their hangars. For several vargas, they followed the Lions as they made passes over dense forest. Neither said anything to the other, not wanting to voice the very-real possibility that they had just lost not only the defenders of the universe but their beloved friends, as well. The silence was deafening but any spoken word would only be needless comfort, prolonging the inevitable that their friends were well and truly dea –

Green banked, coming around hard, and took off in a bee-line, thrusters at maximum. All four Lions followed her, Black allowing her to lead, and Allura dared to venture hope into the silence. "Pidge."

The Green Lion's destination soon came into view: the great and sweeping tooee trees were gone from an unnatural circle a full kilometer wide…that was steadily growing.

"Princess, I'm picking up heavy amounts of Olkari energy," Coran announced nervously.

Allura's hands fisted. At least one of her friends still lived. "It's Pidge. Set us down, Coran. We need to get down there."

Hesitation pulled at his face as he said, "I don't dare, Allura. She's…she's on a rampage. She's reducing everything to ash…"

"What of the other paladins?" Allura demanded.

About to answer, Coran was interrupted by Green roaring. They looked to the viewing screens in time to see the Green Lion land and crouch over a tiny figure in the middle of the greying world.

The trees stopped vanishing. Everything stopped.

"Set the castle down, Coran, and prep the infirmary."

"Yes, Princess."

Allura didn't even hear the acquiescence; she raced for the shuttle bay, quietly begging whatever higher power might exist that her friends were alive. If they weren't safe, they soon would be. She just wanted them all alive.

She arrived in the newly-made clearing within minutes and found all the Lions had landed. The Green Lion huddled on the far side, purring and rumbling desperately at whatever lay between her front paws, while the others crouched around a tiny circle of grass where several figures lay. Allura picked out the faint glows of paladin armour lights and headed there first.

"Shiro!" she called once she was close enough. He and the other paladins were the only ones sitting up, though he was ghastly pale, sweaty and shaky as he assisted a Zyr child. All of them were.

"Allura?" He looked up, surprised and confused to see her. Neither emotion lasted long because then he was begging her, "Allura, go to Pidge! Go to Pidge! She was screaming!"

Allura hesitated. The surrounding Lions were clearly giving their pilots the strength to stand and work. Black rumbled at her, tossing her great head towards Green, and Allura obeyed.

"Pidge?" she ventured as she drew close to the Lion and her pilot. "Pidge, are you all right?"

Green growled, answering the question. No. Pidge was not all right.

Allura ducked between the massive, metal paws and found Pidge curled up on the ground. She trembled where she lay, her hands fists against her chest. Her headband lay several feet away. Allura picked it up and knelt beside her youngest paladin, her youngest friend.

"Pidge? Pidge, I need you to look at me. Can you look at me?"

Pidge lifted her head – Allura duly noted the tears on her face – but then those brown eyes fell on the headband in her hand, and widened with pure terror. "Get it away from me!" she screamed, scrambling away. "Keep it away! I'll kill someone! I'll kill someone…"

Above their heads, Green shifted, chuffing, and brought her head a little lower towards Pidge.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Allura tucked the ornament into a pocket and inched closer, wrapping her up gently in her arms. "Easy, Pidge. Easy. Take deep breaths. It's all right, the headband's gone. You won't hurt anyone. It's all right."

Pidge sobbed harder, clutching Allura like she was her last tie to life, and Allura rubbed her back and stroked her hair. Green purred, vibrating the very earth, gentle and soothing.

Allura waited until Pidge had cried herself out and then commed Coran for help in getting everyone out. "Come, Pidge," she said quietly. "Let's get to the castle. Can you stand?"

Pidge sniffled and nodded jerkily, but Allura kept an arm around her just in case. Green stayed over them, padding along to give them (or more accurately, her paladin) comfort. Pidge stumbled along beside Allura, and Allura had to steady her more than once when her legs threatened to give out. She kept her intense questions of _what the quiznak happened?_ to herself and focussed on just getting Pidge to a bed.

-:-:-:-

Pidge was only vaguely aware of the activity around her: the Zyr children were taken back to their parents, the paladins were all tucked into beds in the infirmary to await pods, and Allura and Coran made tea and asked them questions once all of that was done. She was distracted by Green's incessant purr. She sat on her bed and basked in Green's presence, feeling nothing but her in her brain as Green purred and purred and purred.

"Tyr'kai," Coran exhaled in horror which poked at her attention. She blinked at him and saw his eyes bug at the description Keith just gave of the creatures that attacked them. "Of course! It makes sense! But they were supposed to be extinct!"

"What are they, exactly?" Shiro wondered. Now that their job was done, the children who had survived were safe, it was clear Shiro had been through hell; he flinched at sudden movement and sounds, and Pidge's heart ached for him. She could guess at the nightmares he had endured.

Coran's voice was stilted when he answered. "Tyr'kai are demons that build dreamworlds for their victims while they leech their brain activity through sensors in their fur. It's lucky we found you when we did. No one lasts for more than a few days, and comas are common after more than twelve vargas."

"Dreamworlds," Hunk echoed.

"More like nightmare-worlds," muttered Lance.

"Yes, that would be a more accurate term," said Allura. "Tyr'kai have the ability to construct these worlds from either generic or personal fears. If they're starving, they tend to go for the latter. More food that way." She eyed Keith beside her and he sipped obediently at his tea.

Pidge had drained her cup the moment it was handed to her. Now, all she wanted to do was sleep and listen to her Lion purr.

"Unfortunately, this nullifies the pods," Coran added solemnly. "Rest and warm liquids are the only remedy for a tyr'kai attack."

He bustled around for a moment more, checking their individual scanners, before sitting down on the foot of Lance's bed. "You know what comes next," he said.

"Confession time." Lance groaned and slumped against the pillows. "I'll rock, paper, scissors you all if it means I can go last."

"Actually, I think it best to start with Pidge." Pidge's head snapped up at that and she stared at Coran. "You were the one to break out of your nightmare," he said gently. "There are cases of it happening but it's rare and how it's done varies, so forgive me if I'm curious."

Pidge turned her head away and she was suddenly grateful that her bed was on the end; she wasn't completely surrounded. Memories of a cheering crowd echoed through her skull. Green roared at them, burning them away.

"Pidge." Allura sat beside her and mercifully didn't touch her; Pidge didn't know what she would do if she had touched her. "Pidge, you don't have to tell us everything, but it will help. Bleed it off or it will poison you."

 _Tell them, my Paladin. Tell them. All Lions weep for our hearts. All Lions stand with our hearts. Green stands with my Paladin. All of Pride-Voltron stands with my Paladin.  
_

Pidge tried to hold back her tears and failed miserably. They were silent as they fell, splattering her hands which were fists in the coverlet. "I killed myself," she whispered. "That's how I got out."

"What?"

"What the hell?"

"Pidge, you did _what_?"

Green purred long and hard, a hovering, constant presence in Pidge's mind.

Neither Coran nor Allura said anything, and Pidge told them everything. She told them about the druid and his cruel remarks back during her and Keith's capture, only to be reminded again when he shoved her into the arena. She told them about Sendak and Matt and playing executioner for people she thought deserved it.

"But it wasn't them, it wasn't," she said, her voice somehow holding steady despite the stream of tears. "Druids showed up and it was some kind of spell."

Her friends, her precious family, were silent with horror as she revealed the true identities of those she had killed. She told them about facing Shiro and the pain and Matt screaming at her and the crowd cheering. She told them about the fur and wondering where Green was, the knife and her decision.

"And then I woke up. I woke up and no one else did and I _hated_ those little beasts for all of it. I…the Olkari tech…I used it. I reduced them to molecules, I literally tore them apart. And then I couldn't stop - I didn't want to - but then Green showed up. She made me stop…" Pidge trailed off and didn't dare look at anyone, her hands wet from her tears and sweaty palms.

"Oh, Pidge." Arms wrapped around her, and for the second time today, Pidge cried into Allura. She clung to her and sobbed. Gentle hands moved up and down her back, gently stroking, and Pidge could hear her heartbeat, constant and real and there.

"I didn't know it was you," Pidge wept. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Shh. It's all right. You didn't hurt us, Pidge. We're all right, we're all right. You've nothing to be sorry for, do you understand?"

"I couldn't even save Matt!"

"I know. I know. But it wasn't real. It wasn't real, Pidge. It was the tyr'kai. Your brother is still out there, and we'll get him. We'll do it together. You won't do it alone. We'll help you. We're still right here with you."

Pidge nodded and peeked out from Allura's arms at Shiro who was in the closest bed. He was positively white, his dark eyes wide in his face.

Allura noticed her preoccupation and pulled her up from the bed, blanket and all, and carried her over to him.

Pidge latched onto him, tears still dripping. "I'm sorry, Shiro."

Shiro hugged her back, being gentle with his right arm. "I'm glad you're safe, Katie," he told her.

They continued in that manner, Allura ferrying Pidge to each of her brothers' beds, letting her hold them for as long as she needed. Pidge laid her head down on Lance's, Keith's, and Hunk's chests, listening to their heartbeats to reassure herself that this – _this_ – was real. Even Coran got a hug, and Pidge didn't fail to notice his tears.

Pidge stayed awake through the others' retellings, cuddling with the speaker, and all the while, she felt Allura's gaze land on her every other minute or so. When Hunk was done and Allura had carried her back to her bed proper, Allura announced that she would watch over the paladins while Coran launched the castle. They were getting off this rock, even if Pidge had annihilated the tyr'kai nest.

With the lights low and Shiro's, Lance's, Keith's and Hunk's breathing soft and present in the quiet air, Pidge blinked up at Allura who stood beside her bed. Without saying a word, she scooted over on the mattress and lifted the covers.

It was only a tick or two before Allura climbed in, and Pidge allowed Allura to wrap her close and press a kiss to her forehead. "I am glad you're safe, paladin mine."

Pidge smiled when Green sleepily echoed the sentiment and kept purring until both of them fell asleep.

-:-

*Shiro's age was deemed twenty-five by the creators and nineteen by Dreamworks. All other ages are personal headcanon.

Thank you for reading!


	19. Chapter 19: Stolen

**bayboo20:** Thank you! My writing skills are definitely through years of practice, as well as money invested in creative writing courses through my local university. I hate writer's block. I've got a bad case of it for a couple of my other fics, and I feel awful about it because I haven't updated those stories in months. :( It happens to all of us, so don't worry and just keep getting the crap writing out. That's what I do. And then I go back and tear it apart, and sometimes out of whole paragraphs, I only keep a few sentences. It's a process. It truly is. I wish you well in your story. :)

 **GotNoName123:** I'm sorry! :'( Thank you for reviewing!

 **katiewinchester87:** Thank you! :D

 **Leo-TheHunter:** It would be, absolutely. I think I'll let this one slide, though. Thank you. :)

 **rainbowrider1290:** Holy wow, thank you! *squeals with delight* Loving angst does not make you a sadist anymore than my writing angst makes me a sadist! ;) Thank you a dozen times over for your kind comments! :D

 **Star-The-Writer:** Ah, yes. Thank you. For some reason, I thought I read somewhere that she was fifteen. Thank you for the correction! :)

 **RavenNightwing42:** Yup! Shiro's a leap-year baby. You're welcome! And thank you for reviewing!

 **KnightOwl247:** I live for all caps! Bless you! Thank you! :D I agree that Pidge will need time to recover. The next couple of chapters will include her dealing with what happened.

 **kelli.n.c:** Thank you! For the guys' dreams, I know Lance watched his family die, Shiro was back in the arena, Keith was captured by Zarkon and turned into a soldier, and Hunk was a witness to everyone's execution. None of the guys actually harmed any of their loved ones. That's why they were so horrified by Pidge's dream. It will take time, for sure. As for your house cat comment, I apologise. I have nothing against cats (other than I'm terribly allergic to them), but I must correct you: the tyr'kai are the SIZE of house cats. They don't look like them. They're just round with pointed ears. No whiskers, no tails. Just big blue eyes. Sorry to confuse you. And thank you. :)

 **XxTurtletracerxX:** Thank you! I'm really trying to incorporate the Lions more into the story. I'm glad you like them. :)

 **Madiline Magnolia:** Thank you!

 **What is Insanity:** Thank you so much! I really enjoyed having Pidge rip the little demon-spawn apart. :)

 **Azilia james:** (responding to Chapters 17 and 18) Yes. Yes, I totally did! :D I came up with the tyr'kai, sort of. I took a bit of inspiration from Supernatural season 2 episode 20, the one with the djinn. But instead of living happy lives, victims are subjected to terror and fear for the creatures to feed off of. Thank you so much! :)

 **Alkirian:** I'm sorry that I'm a meanie. /3 Thank you for reviewing!

 **Cielmatica:** Yay for favourite chapters! Thank you! Keith wasn't brooding so much as quietly panicking. He'll definitely be trying to keep a closer eye on Pidge now. As far as Pidge being affected, she's going to recover slowly. For the guys' dreams, I know Lance watched his family die, Shiro was back in the arena, Keith was captured by Zarkon and turned into a soldier, and Hunk was a witness to everyone's execution. None of the guys actually harmed any of their loved ones. That's why they were so horrified by Pidge's dream.

 **SpaceSquidLance:** For clarification of your comment, please see Author's Note below. Thank you for reviewing! :)

 **Green Giant Uranus:** I was wondering if you'd gotten my message. You are more than welcome! :D I'm glad you enjoyed Chapter 17 as much as you did. It was rather reminiscent for me, too. Geez, I miss being a kid. Life was so much simpler. For your prompt, I'll think about it. I was convinced I wasn't going to add the boys' nightmares to TSBBL, but maybe I'll do a spin-off, as you suggested. I can't make any promises, though. Thank you so much!

 **ally-dash.77:** For clarification of your comment, please see Author's Note below. Thank you very much! Don't worry, the Olkari gem will return...eventually. Pidge has to work out a couple things first.

 **Sparklesona:** Oops! I hope you didn't have nightmares. Thank you!

 **Ikari StarKnight:** I wanted to cry for her, too. :'( Thank you! Don't worry about not reviewing recently. Being sick sucks. *Hug* I hope it's looking up. :)

 **Briarfrost:** Thank you very much! :D

 **PersonaBailey:** Thank you very much! Tyr'kai, as far as I know, means nothing. It's a word I made up. Thank you for commenting on the Allura-Pidge fluff. She really is a big sister, you're right. :)

 **SiriuslySarcastic:** (reviews of Chapters 15 and 18) Thank you so much! I find Pidge fascinating, and I can relate to her on a personal level (tech expert and prodigy not included), so I enjoy fleshing out aspects of her that are touched on in canon but not fully developed. I love the Ipryn, too. I'd love to delve deeper with Yra and the stuff she does. You recommended me? Thank you! Holy wow, thank you! (18) I apologise for the heart trouble but I am glad you're enjoying my work. :) I've had a prompt before about someone hitting on Pidge and I'm still thinking about it, but I will definitely do something Coran-Pidge related. I've the perfect thing. Hopefully I can pull it off because science is not my forte. Thank you for your kind words. :D

 **Guest:** (review of Chapter 17) I never thought that Hunk and Lance would come up with that! Now I need to write a side-fic where they all return to Earth for some R and R, and the guys totally tell their sisters about Pidge, and the sisters totally sign up for that! What a wonderful idea! Thank you!

 **Guest:** Thank you! That sounds like a plan. :)

 **Sky Cat:** Thank you!

 **I'm Dead:** (reviews of Chapters 12 and 18) Sorry, sorry! I would give you a chocolate bar if I could. Thank you for your reviews!

 **Guest:** Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it. :)

 **Candyphone:** (reviews of Chapters 15 and 18) You read until three am!? Holy WOW! Okay, first, I'm sorry for your sleep deprivation. Second, thank you for commenting on that particular line in 15. :D Thank you so much, and I apologise for inhibiting your ability to stay quiet.

 **zoeshade:** You are another poor soul to read until three am. I hope your day went well despite the sleep deprivation. Thank you so, so much! It's a pleasure hearing from someone who enjoys my work. :D And I am most definitely proud of this fic.

 **Guest:** Thank you! And yeah, I like the fact that everybody but Shiro is still technically a kid. :)

 **Jackie:** (reviews of Chapters 6, 9, 12, 14-18) Holy wow! So many comments! Thank you a dozen times over! You're also the 400th review so yay! I, too, am quite short (a quarter-inch over five feet) so I sympathise with you and Pidge. That's really cool that you're in the military and that you can draw parallels between that and my writing. I've never been in any kind of military situation (and I count my blessings for that) but I'm glad it's coming across as realistic. :) Thank you so much for your kind words. Rest assured that I am not inactive; I was just taking a bit of a break. I would love to write for the show! Unfortunately, I can't write plays or screenplays at all. I'm glad I could cheer you up. Stay strong, hon. The world needs good people like you. :)

 **JackieStarSister:** (reviews of Chapters 11-14) Thank you for all your comments! I do love me my conflict! Also, Chapter 15 explains the reasoning for Pidge becoming an honorary Sister.

 **TeenTitansFanForever02:** Thank you!

 **Author's Note:** *cracks knuckles* All right, y'all! It has come to my attention that I need to clarify a thing or two in regards to Chapter 18, mostly about the reason why Pidge "committed suicide". Maybe it was just me and I how wrote the section, and I'm sorry that it generated the confusion it did, but allow me an excerpt:

"In some tiny corner of her mind, an option presented itself, horrifying yet appealing. But if this was a dream... Even if it wasn't, it was perfect. The perfect way to get back at Sendak, to deprive him of this great victory. She would still be dead, Matt would be doomed, but maybe she would see him again. She hoped she saw her family again. She hoped she could apologise and that they would forgive her. If this wasn't a dream."

I saw a couple reviews exclaiming over how Pidge killed herself because of grief because she killed her friends or how Pidge killed herself to save Matt. Reading this small paragraph (and it probably should have been longer but I don't have a professional editor), it's clear that Pidge's reason for killing herself was _Sendak_. Remember, she was in the middle of the arena, being used as entertainment - her own life and those of her friends/family for the enjoyment of others! She had already been wounded by Shiro, not yet mortally but close enough to incapacitate her. She knew she was going to die. She knew Shiro was going to kill her. So she did what she could to deprive him (Sendak, because he pulled the strings) of that victory. She took back her ability to choose in a place that had taken that ability away. _That_ was why she killed herself. Pidge did it knowing that Matt wouldn't be too far behind her ("Matt would be doomed"); she knew she couldn't save him. Pidge was also slowly figuring out that what was happening wasn't real so even though she wasn't completely one-hundred-percent sure, she was banking on it being a dream, which meant that her death would not be real anyway. Pidge _is not suicidal_. She meant to end her own life before it could be used for further entertainment.

I hope that makes sense and clears up any misgivings or confusion, and I'm sorry if that came off as whiny but this is really helpful to me. I'm still figuring out how to portray and convey what I want so if you're confused, do let me know, and I'll work on bettering my writing in future chapters so that won't be the case as much. I really do appreciate you all. You leave such wonderful comments that build me up as a person and a writer, and for that I thank you all deeply and profoundly. Also, welcome and thank you to all new readers, followers, and favourites.

All right, enough schmoozing. Time for some story!

For **Guest** (review on Chapter 12) who prompted me with Pidge getting kidnapped and then busting out on her own.

 _Chapter 19: Stolen_

Pidge pushed her hair out of her face for the third time in half as many minutes. Lance glanced at her, noticing, but wisely said nothing because the first and only time he had suggested Pidge put her headband back on, she had gone ghost-white and screamed "No!" at him. Hunk had offered to help make a new headband, one without the Olkari gem, but Pidge didn't dare. She had grown used to knowing that power was there if she wore something in her hair. If she didn't wear anything, she wouldn't fall into such a trap.

Ever since the tyr'kai… Pidge shivered, rubbing her arms. She couldn't forget what she had done, both in her nightmare and out of it. She had wreaked such utter destruction in that forest that she didn't dare tempt herself again, and so the headband was locked in a small box in Allura's bedroom.

She felt vulnerable without it but she had survived without it before. She just had to get used to not having it anymore.

A gust of wind blew her hair into her face again, and Pidge growled under her breath. Maybe she should invest in some hairpins. She could stab people with those if push came to shove.

 _Like she had stabbed Keith, Lance, Hunk, Allura and Coran._

Pidge froze and didn't notice when Hunk nearly walked into her.

"Pidge?"

She didn't want to remember this anymore. Why couldn't she just forget? It hadn't even been real!

"– idge!"

Shiro was peering into her face, his hands on her shoulders.

 _He charged her, right hand near-white._

She flinched and hated herself when Shiro's face scrunched with pain. He let go but stayed close.

"Pidge?" he asked tentatively. "You okay?"

Lance, Hunk and Keith were all looking at her, too, worry etched into their brows and around their mouths.

She tore her eyes away from them and focussed on Shiro, saying, "Yeah, um, I think I'm… I'm tired. Can I go back to the castle?"

"I'll go with her," Keith quietly volunteered.

"I don't need a babysitter," she grumbled. She didn't want anyone near her. She didn't want to hurt them like she had just hurt Shiro.

"I don't like the idea of you wandering alone on an alien planet," Shiro said gently.

Pidge nodded, silently clinging to his calmness with all her strength, took a breath, and said, "I know the way back, and it's not like I'm going to wander around. I'll go straight there. No side-trips."

"Promise?" Shiro pressed, and Pidge nodded again because she did get distracted on occasion. It had happened before.

"Yeah, Shiro. I promise. I'll com you when I get there."

"Not a tick later."

"Not a tick later," she promised. She walked away, going back the way they'd come, and didn't need to look back to know that all four of her friends watched her until she turned the corner.

She sighed and paused along the far side of the walkway, away from all the traffic. Drone-operated hover-cars zoomed on the road. Most were small – two or four persons in a vehicle at a time – but there was also something that looked very much like a bus as it rumbled up the street. On the sidewalks, the foot traffic was light but constant: the name of the people who lived here was lost in translation (a series of clicks and whirrs that was distinctly mechanical) but that was to be expected when the populace was made of mined metals.

According to what Allura had told them, the robots, as Pidge called them, had been built as artificial intelligences millennia ago by an advanced organic race. As more and more AIs had been manufactured and developed, they became self-aware. With their infinite access to the archives wherein they found knowledge pertaining to the planet's history and politics, they had gained greater understanding of who and what they were supposed to be and had been unhappy with their findings. The civil war had been brutal yet swift, and after eight weeks, the robots were recognised by the other planets in the system as the dominant species, the organics reduced to serf-like conditions.

With their design plans in hand, the robots spread, making, creating and building offspring and new cities. They instigated their own laws, elected a figure head, even paid taxes. It was a technological miracle.

And Pidge was uninterested. It troubled her that she found little joy in interacting with this incredible species, but a lot of things troubled her nowadays, and she had gotten used to being perpetually on edge. It wasn't healthy mentally or physically, she knew, but what could be done in the middle of a war?

"Are you well, puny organic?" A blue-and-gold robot stopped in front of her, holding the hands of two smaller robots with different colorations but similar patterns of swirls and dots which prodded at Pidge's dormant curiosity – were they decorative or indicative of family relations?

Allura had warned them to not take offence at the title given to every organic lifeform, though the 'puny' was a new addition.

Pidge stammered through her reply. "Uh, yes. Thank you for your concern. I'm all right."

The slightly pointed domed helm tilted to one side, twin bulbs of gold scanning her. "Your heartrate and breathing suggest otherwise. You might be in need of rest or refreshment. Is your domicile nearby?"

"Yes, it is. I'm on my way now. Thank you."

The robot inclined its helm in affirmation, said, "Very well, then. Good day to you, puny organic," and tugged the little ones away.

Pidge watched the little family go longingly. She turned around to continue on toward the castle when a cold, metal hand wrapped around her mouth from behind. Pidge couldn't help the instinctive squeak of panic but then her training took over and she stomped on a foot's instep, throwing an elbow into the nearby sternum for good measure.

Her foot jarred with the impact and pain shot up and down her arm. Right. Metal lifeforms.

The robot pulled her backward into an alley but Pidge fought back, kicking out and throwing her weight around to hopefully dislodge the grip on her face.

*Click whirr click click whirr churr click*

The robot spoke its native language and Pidge didn't care if she didn't understand or not. She had to reach her com.

*Whirr churr churr click whirr* There was another one, large and silver-white in the shadows between the buildings. It advanced, long limbs carrying it swiftly, and Pidge dared to hope that this might be a rescue…but then it reached out a hand, palm out, and a red light scanned her from nose to neck. It smiled at her. Creepy metal plates on its face split wide, revealing what looked like teeth.

"Take it away," it said but Pidge recognised that voice. It was hers! It had stolen her voice or duplicated it or something.

Pidge kicked out more wildly than before, her throat constricting around screams that wouldn't sound.

The robot holding Pidge dragged her away, but not before she saw the one who had stolen her voice activate something in its arm and start talking: "Shiro, I made it back to the castle…"

-:-:-:-

Shiro didn't spend fifteen minutes worrying until Pidge called. He smiled, signalling to Keith and stepping off to the side, as he answered the com; she had kept her promise.

 _"Shiro, I made it back to the castle,"_ she said. She sounded better, clearer, not as…dull.

"That's good, Pidge. Thanks for letting me know. Get some rest, 'kay? We'll be a while."

 _"Sure thing."_

Shiro nodded to himself as the call ended. He should call Allura or Coran to check on her and make sure she actually rested, rather than spend an unhealthy amount of time on her laptop.

"Shiro!" Lance and Hunk came running up from the vendor they'd just visited. "Shiro, did Pidge call? Did she call?"

"She just did. Why? What's wrong?"

Even Hunk was distraught, which was more telling than anything else, as he said, "We were just talking to a guy who said there's a market for organics. Robot gangs roam the markets, targeting anyone they find."

Lance gripped his hair. "Pidge would be a freaking invitation! We might as well have hung a sign around her neck saying, 'Come get me!'"

"She's fine, Lance, chill!" Keith commanded. "She just called. Right, Shiro?"

Shiro nodded, his heart pounding in his throat. "Yeah. She got back to the castle fine."

"Then we need to go," said Hunk. "We can find what we need elsewhere but I don't want to stay here and feel like a sitting duck."

Shiro nodded again. "I'll com Coran. Tell him we're on our way. Keith, you're on our six until we get back. Hunk, Lance, watch our sides. We're bigger and in a group so that might dissuade these gangs."

When everyone agreed, Shiro commed the castle.

Coran answered in his usual chipper tone. _"Shiro, this is unexpected. Is there something wrong?"_

"Coran, we're on our way back. There are some gangs roaming around that prey on organic lifeforms. Tell Allura we're leaving. We'll be there in ten."

It was a credit to Coran's training and experience when he didn't stutter or hesitate, saying, _"Right-o. See you in a tick."_

"Oh, and one more thing: can you check on Pidge?"

 _"Pidge?"_ Coran echoed.

"Yeah. She just returned to the castle. She should be in bed but see if she sneaked into her hangar."

There was a moment's pause during which Shiro's eyes scanned the crowds and hover-traffic. Then, _"When did you say she got back?"_

"About two minutes ago? Why?"

 _"The castle doors show no record of anyone coming in after you all left."_

Shiro went absolutely still, and Keith froze, watching him.

"What's wrong?" Keith asked.

Waving his question away, Shiro focussed on the voice in his ear. "Say that again, Coran."

But Coran did not say it again because he was a man of fact and action; the system said Pidge hadn't passed through the doors, so he was checking other systems. _"I'm checking the castle's bio systems. They'll pick up Number Five's biological signature if she's in the castle or within two hundred flups of it… Scanning…"_ There was a dull beep on the other end of the channel, and Shiro's heart sank when Coran murmured, _"Negative. She's not here."_

"But I spoke to her," Shiro reasoned. "She commed me. I heard her voice." Now Lance and Hunk were eyeing him warily but, mercifully, stayed silent.

 _"These are technology-based lifeforms, Shiro,"_ Coran said quietly. _"It's possible they have ways to impersonate others. Voicing isn't that difficult to duplicate if you know what you're doing."_

"So…you're saying that…I could have spoken to one of those robots…instead of Pidge?"

 _"It looks that way,"_ murmured Coran. _"I'll inform Allura. Shall I release the Green Lion? She just started pacing her hangar. Looks like she knows something's wrong."_

"No," Shiro said sharply. "No. The last thing we want is panic. The majority of these people are good; I won't endanger innocents just because a few took Pidge."

As he said it, three pairs of eyes widened and Keith opened his mouth but Shiro waved him off again. "We'll find her ourselves, Coran. The Green Lion will be our last resort."

 _"Very well, then. Good luck, Shiro."_ The line cut out.

Shiro knew his gaze was hardening and his right hand was in a fist when he turned to face his three remaining friends. "Pidge is missing." He had to say it officially so there was no misunderstanding. "We need to find her but we're not splitting up. We'll start searching the way we came and see if we can find any clues. Questions?"

There were none.

"Then let's get to work."

-:-:-:-

Pidge fought, kicked and squirmed the whole way to wherever they went (the gunny sack over her head was as effective as it was cliché). As soon as they got inside, the sack came off and Pidge resisted the urge to bite; her efforts were fruitless against the strength and armour the robots possessed. Her head and throat ached from trying to scream.

If only she had her headband - She stopped that thought in its tracks. No. As useful as the Olkari gem was, she didn't trust herself to not bring down an entire city block out of rage.

"Quit wiggling, organic," the one who held her droned. "You will harm yourself which will in turn harm our profits."

Wait, profits?

Before she could take that thought further, they stuffed her into a cage and left her. The bars were at most two inches apart but sitting up, she had to duck her head, and if she extended her arms, her elbows touched opposite walls. For someone as small as she was, it was a tiny prison. And she was alone. Despite the rows of cages that spanned to her left and right, they were all empty. Cargo. She had been reduced to an item. Profits indeed. Pidge sat with her knees pulled up and her arms wrapped around them. She had tried screaming, shouting, anything, but her voice was gone. Those bucket heads had stolen her voice.

What was worse was that they had used it to assure Shiro and the others that she was fine. If the guys continued on with their shopping, it would be hours before they knew anything was wrong. Anything could happen if given enough time, and these kidnapping, voice-stealing mechanoids had all the time in the world. Pidge was in a cage and defenceless; they'd taken her bayard (stowed in a jacket pocket) and her com. If she had been in worse, she couldn't think of it.

Well, there was that time with the airlock, but Red had saved her…

Red…

The Lions.

Green!

Pidge threw every ounce of mental strength into the call: _Green!_

 _My Paladin? My Paladin, what is it?_

 _Help me, Green! Please!_

Green's presence filled Pidge's mind, pressing to the very edges with strength and fury, and Pidge knew her Lion roared within her hangar. _Green cannot get out, my Paladin! Green cannot help!_ She roared again, her helplessness burning through them both.

 _Green? Green! Listen to me! Can you alert the other Lions so they can tell their paladins I'm missing?_

Her Lion snarled. _Paladins already know. Black's Paladin is panicking and the others are worried. Pride Voltron does not know where my Paladin is. Where is my Paladin?_

 _I don't know. It's a warehouse or something._

 _Does my Paladin have the bayard? Can my Paladin escape?_ Green was calming down somewhat, focussing on the situation. Pidge decided not to tell her about the cage.

 _No. They took it. I can't get out, Green. They stole my voice, too. I can't even call for help._

There was a beat of stunned silence before Green purred, long and deep. Her presence curled around her like a real cat settling in her lap. _It wears off, Paladin mine,_ she soothed. _It will take some hours but my Paladin will have my Paladin's voice back._

Pidge accepted that but worry still clouded her thoughts, worry that she wouldn't be found, worry for her friends who could also be captured, so much worry.

 _Be calm, my Paladin,_ Green urged gently. _The bayard will not respond if my Paladin is not calm._

 _What? The bayard can…respond?_

 _Yes. Like Lions, bayards can act when Lions' Paladins are in danger but only if my Paladin is calm. Breathe, my Little One._

Pidge took a second to smile at the new endearment and then she forced herself to take deep breaths. In…out…in…out…

 _Very good, my Paladin. Now, does my Paladin see the bayard?_

It was across the room, on a table with her com and several metal tankards – did these mechanoids require hydration? It was enough to pique her interest but not enough to keep it. _Yes,_ she answered.

 _Quiet all thought and focus on the bayard. It will come to my Paladin. Call it and it will come._

Pidge stared at the bayard more than one hundred feet away. A slow smile spread across her face. _Accio bayard,_ she thought.

As if waiting for the silent spell, the bayard twitched once, twice, and then zoomed through the air, sliding vertically between the bars.

None of her kidnappers were present to notice and Pidge grinned outright.

 _I'm on my way,_ she thought to Green, activating her bayard and slicing at the bars.

Green purred in approval as Pidge fetched her com and cut herself a door through the back wall. She could see the castle from here, its spires glistening in the sunshine only a few blocks away. She broke into a trot.

-:-:-:-

Keith understood why Shiro wouldn't let them split up to look for Pidge. He understood just fine but that didn't mean he liked it.

"Why does this crap always happen to Pidge?" he snarled under his breath as he stood at yet another alley with Hunk while Lance and Shiro searched to the back.

He meant it rhetorically but Hunk smiled sadly at him. "'Cause we screw up, that's why," he answered. "Pidge is independent but we make the mistake that just because she's independent doesn't mean she doesn't need to be watched. We forget that and so crap like this happens."

"We watch her all the time!" Keith spat.

"Really?" Hunk lifted his brows, though he kept his gaze on the locals walking past. "'Cause I know I don't. Not as much as I should. Not as much as I do Lance or Shiro or you."

Hunk watched him? Looked out for him? It sent a shudder across Keith's shoulders because he could count on one hand how many people had had his best interests at heart throughout his nineteen years of life. Yet at the same time, the sentiment he knew was behind it – Hunk was the heart of the team, kind and compassionate – warmed him. If he was being honest with himself, he would say he was glad that someone like Hunk had his back. It was nice to have more than one friend.

Yet Hunk's certainty in their failure bothered him. Did they really not look out for Pidge as he always did for Shiro? As Hunk did for the rest of the team?

"Yeah, I guess," Keith murmured. "She likes to be alone sometimes."

"And I get that – I'm sure you get that, too, more than any of us – but she's a kid. She's a genius but she's a kid. And after what happened with the…the tyr'kai," Hunk said the name quietly, "man, sometimes I wonder what goes through her genius head."

"She's got a lot on her plate," Keith agreed slowly. "Any luck?" he added to Shiro and Lance who came trudging back up the alley.

"Nothing," Lance replied with a sideways glance at Shiro who was pale and silent. "Next grid."

They were about to move when Keith heard Red rumble at him. _Green's Paladin has escaped and is on her way to the castle._

Rarely one for shock, Keith rounded on his friends to tell them but stopped when he saw exultant expressions on their faces. "So…I take it you guys know about Pidge, too?"

Lance and Hunk let out cheers of "Heck ya!" and alarmed several passersby while Shiro looked dazed, and Keith shook his head, smiling. "Come on," he said. "Maybe we can catch her on the way."

As the four broke into a run, Hunk voiced an uncertain question: "If she's out, why didn't she com us?"

Keith nearly flinched when Red shifted uneasily in his mind. _About that, my Paladin…_

-:-:-:-

Pidge was surprised when Coran and Allura both met her at the front door to the castle.

"Pidge!" Allura ran to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "The others told us you were coming. They had it from their Lions who had it from the Green Lion. We've been worried sick. Come inside. Are you hurt?"

"Princess," Coran said, a gentle reprimand. Since when did Coran reprimand Allura? He tilted his head in Pidge's direction, and Allura flushed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. Curse those quiznaking piles of scrap!" she added in a hiss.

Pidge, unable to say anything, allowed herself to be guided into the foyer and settled onto a bench along the wall. The mice hopped into her lap, chirping and squeaking. She stroked one's head with a steady finger.

"The boys are on their way," Coran told her kindly. "Now, hold still."

Leaning back against the wall with Allura's arm still draped comfortingly over her shoulders, Pidge obeyed and closed her eyes as a bio scanner lit up.

It was barely two minutes later when the front door rushed open and there was a loud shout of "Pidge, Pidge!"

Shiro reached her first, sliding to his knees in front of her and peering into her face. "The Lions told us what happened," he said. "Are you all right? You can just nod."

Pidge was nothing short of relieved that her friends knew about her lack of voice. _Thank you, Green,_ she thought as she nodded.

Green purred at her in response.

"How long will this last?" asked Lance. He stood just a couple feet away from Shiro, his brow low.

"Uncertain," said Coran. "A few vargas at most, perhaps, but other than not having her voice, Number Five is perfectly all right."

"Hungry?" Hunk offered.

Pidge cracked a smile and nodded again. Allura took the mice so she could stand and follow Hunk. She didn't hold it against anyone when they all fell in around her, Shiro on her right, Keith on her left, and Lance, Coran and Allura behind her.

"You're sure you're all right, Pidge?" Keith ventured.

Pidge sighed, wishing for her laptop or even a pen and paper. She was the Green Paladin. She was more than capable of defending herself.

To her surprise, Hunk spun around and gripped her shoulder. Glancing up at him, she saw him smile. "We know you're capable, Pidge. We just worry. We should have been there to watch your back, and we're sorry we weren't."

Shiro, Lance and Keith all nodded agreement, their eyes sad and concerned.

Pidge put her hand on Hunk's. _It's okay. It's not your fault. Please, forget about it and let's go have supper and get off this rock._ She wanted to say it all and hated that she couldn't right now.

Green purred, loud and long, saying, _Green relayed my Paladin's heart-thoughts to Lions. Paladins know._

And they did. Looking into their faces, Pidge knew that they knew because they all smiled at her, and Hunk squeezed her shoulder, sniffing suspiciously. Pidge patted his hand and took the lead in walking down the hall.

As Hunk and Coran worked together in a bustling whirlwind, Pidge sat on the countertop and watched them. Allura was on the bridge, and Shiro leaned against the counter beside her, content to watch in silence, while Lance goaded Keith into trying a pinch of spice they'd picked up from Duthbar IV. Yeah, she was a Paladin of Voltron and, yes, she could take care of herself but it was also wonderful being taken care of by someone else, and right now, she couldn't imagine anyone doing a better job than the six people right here.

 _Don't forget Green, Paladin mine._

Pidge smiled. Make that seven. And no one could steal that from her.

-:-

 **Author's Note:** (Another one, I'm sorry!) Hello, everyone! Because of the increasing number of reviews on my chapters (which is a wonderful thing, thank you all!), I'm finding that a lot of my posted chapters is taken up by my review responses (this last chapter has over 1800 words alone for responses!). I love replying to your comments but it's hard for me to justify almost 2000 words (including that first author's note) on a chapter of any length.

So I've decided to stop replying on chapters. I will try my absolute best to reply to reviews through PM, so if you have questions or concerns, I can still answer them and explain more in-depth than what I've previously been able to do.

To Guests, Anonymous, and People who have disabled Private Messaging, I hope you still review, yet know that I won't be able to reply. If, however, you choose to set up PM, feel free to do so, knowing that you are under no obligation to just because I want to reply to your comments.

Thank you to all who read, follow, favourite, and/or review. It's a pleasure to hear from you.

Cheers!

Red

Thank you for reading! :)


	20. Chapter 20: Better

**Author's Note:** I've elected to ignore Season Three for now, so I guess this makes my stuff an Alteration from canon, or something. I apologise for the long wait. I also apologise to **ThatOneBlondeNerd** : this isn't your prompt, as I said it would be. I'm saving that chapter for another day.

 _Chapter 20: Better_

It was just after three o'clock in the morning. The castle was quiet: engines gently humming, soft and sleepy breaths behind many a closed door.

Except one door.

Pidge, dressed in housecoat and slippers, shuffled along the dimly-lit corridor. She was exhausted and needed to go back to bed, she knew, but she didn't want to; more nightmares waited. Not wanting to bother Green, she headed for the engine room, knowing the quiet energy pulses often put her at ease.

The power core at the end of the catwalk bathed the room in an icy-blue glow. For a second, Pidge thought she saw Rover, his optical lens matching the core's light, but she blinked and it was just a reflective panel on the wall.

Pidge sighed and reached the control console. She rested her hand on the edge for a moment before sliding to the floor and curling up under it, her knees pulled up to her chest. The power core thrummed, pulsing rhythmically, but, as comforting as it was, Pidge didn't dare close her eyes.

 _Deep breaths, Pidge. Deep breaths,_ she told herself.

The door was far enough away that she didn't hear its hydraulics when it whooshed open, nor did she hear the quiet footsteps on the metal catwalk, but she did hear the voice when it got close enough: "Pidge?"

Pidge yelped, straightening, and banged her head on the console's underbelly. "Ow!" she spat, rubbing her tender skull and fighting stars. When her vision cleared, she looked up and did a double-take. "Coran?" She almost didn't recognise him out of his uniform. He wore a silver robe of sorts with wide sleeves, and Pidge swore his bare toes poked out from under the hem. He was also slightly rumpled, the left side of his hair mussed from sleep, but his eyes were kind as he hunkered down beside her.

"Are you all right, Number Five?" he asked. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Yep, fine." Pidge looked away as she said it, pulling her knees up once more.

"Hm. I see." As casually as if he shifted his weight, he settled on the floor and propped himself up, leaning backwards on his arms while his legs spread out in front of him. Yep. Those were definitely bare feet. He crossed them at the ankles. Shifting his weight to one arm, he twirled his moustache with his other hand. "I suppose you typically keep absurd hours," he continued idly. "It can't be healthy, to be sure, but I am not human, so what do I know?"

Pidge scowled, still not looking at him. "I'm not doing this on purpose," she bit out.

"Can't sleep, eh? That seems to be becoming a regular thing, recently. I am curious why you chose this room of all places. Usually, you find solace with your Lion…?"

She shrugged, not answering.

He paused in his twirling and regarded her, the middle of his forehead crinkling. "That's becoming a regular thing, too," he observed quietly.

Pidge answered with silence but was startled when Coran's hand reached over and hovered within inches of her arm.

"That," he said. "You're smaller. You pull yourself in and make yourself smaller." He sat up fully and ducked his head under hers to meet her eyes. "Altean children did this when they were sad or frightened."

Did.

Past tense.

Because there were no more Altean children.

Pidge's eyes burned and she wiped at them angrily. "I'm being stupid," she grumbled. "I'm fine."

"You know it's all right to not be all right, right?" he asked, his hand retreating. When Pidge didn't answer, he sighed and looked around the empty engine room. "At the height of our power, this castle was full. Chefs and trainers, cleaners and healers, lieutenants, captains, and officers of every kind. We had engineers and botanists, astronomers and biologists – every room was occupied; some of them even doubled up. It was hard to be alone then." He looked down, sorrow burrowing trenches across his face. "It is too easy to be alone now."

"I'm sorry," Pidge offered. "I know my problems aren't that important. I mean, you lost your planet and everyone, and –"

"Your problems are not less important, Pidge," Coran said firmly. "They are different but they are not less, just as you are not less." He reached for her again and made gentle contact, fingers landing tentatively on her elbow. "Tell me what's wrong."

Pidge squeezed her eyes shut, forcing back tears. A sob broke through anyway, catching in her throat on its way out. "I'm just so stupid!" she rasped. "I shouldn't feel bad about what happened in that tyr'kai dream. I shouldn't feel bad about what I did because none of it was real, but I do! I feel like I murdered my family and I just want it to stop! I want it to stop…" She trailed off, hugging her knees, and wept.

Gentle arms encircled her waist and pulled her out from under the console, settling her on the floor against a strong chest and beneath a scratchy beard. It was not the same comfort she was used to because her dad was skinnier and clean-shaven, but at the same time, it was because Coran cared.

He was silent while she cried, gently rubbing her back. There were no murmurs of _It's all right_ or _I'm here_. It was…nice to not have to be rushed into calming down.

It was a while before her tears ran dry, and she sniffed, wiping her face on her sleeve. Coran kept a hand on her back while the other produced a handkerchief. An actual handkerchief. It was a blue that matched his Altean markings and embroidered in the corner with Altean initials in an orange mirroring his hair.

"Thanks," Pidge said, wetly and thinly, and blew her nose.

"You're very welcome. Keep it," he added when she tried to give it back. "I have a few more."

Knowing him, he probably had a thousand.

Coran did not ask her if she felt better after her cry. He was quiet, waiting.

"Coran?"

"Yes?"

"I know that what…what I did in the dream wasn't real but…but the stuff I did when I got out was. Does…does that make me a bad person?"

Leaning against his chest, Pidge heard Coran's deep inhalation. "You saw a threat to your teammates and acted," he began. "Your…manner of eliminating that threat was…unexpectedly violent and intense, but considering that you had just escaped a terrifying dreamworld, I cannot fault you for it."

Pidge hung her head. "I lost control."

"You did," he said, "over a few things. You lost control of your emotions, you lost control of your ability to think logically when a threat is at hand, and you lost control of a very powerful weapon."

Pidge looked up at him then and he nodded solemnly. "Yes, Pidge. A weapon. I admit that I was initially hesitant at you possessing the Olkari gem so haphazardly without much in the way of training or guidance. But you quickly proved my hesitancy unfounded. I don't know many humans but I know you are remarkable for your age. You proved yourself capable when you saved us on Vyrk and protected Lance on Oi'ip, and I was convinced that, somehow, you had mastered the device. I grew complacent in your intelligence, never thinking that you might need assistance, and for that, I am profoundly sorry."

"You're not the one who lost control," Pidge mumbled, sitting upright to look at him better.

"No, but I should have remedied your ignorance. I knew how powerful the Olkarian technology was; I had seen for myself what it could do – I once saw a single architect construct a city within a week! – and yet I stood by and allowed a child to use a weapon that could potentially cause mass destruction."

"But the Lions…" Pidge started. Even by themselves, the Lions could and did cause massive damage.

"The princess and I train you with them," he reminded her gently. "We have given you exercises to strengthen your minds and bodies to work with them. I gave you nothing where the gem was concerned, and I paid a dear price for it." He took her chin carefully between his thumb and forefinger. "Your peace of mind. Your health. Your ability to sleep without fear. Your well-being is worth far more than any weapon, Pidge, not because you are a Paladin but because you are a friend."

He released her and Pidge sniffled into her handkerchief.

"It's good to fear power," he said. "It keeps us from getting ahead of ourselves. Am I right that you fear the gem?"

"I don't want to lose control. It's a miracle that I didn't hurt anyone aside from the tyr'kai…"

"A miracle…or your subconscious understanding friend from foe. It's impossible to know for sure, of course, but it's a nicer thought than miracles. Sometimes, miracles can run out."

Yes. Coran would understand that better than most. Allura, too.

"What can I do?" she asked, lifting her eyes to search his. He was wise, for all of his bumbling; he would know.

"What are you willing to do?"

Well, that was unexpected, but Pidge never backed down from a challenge. "I guess…I guess I can…try. I can try to not lose control again. I can't really promise anything but…"

"You don't have to," he assured her. "At the very least, you can get used to it again. As terrible as its power may be, it has proved to be an asset to our cause, and I can't imagine it in anyone else's hands."

Pidge smiled, a small and tremulous thing. "That sounds doable. I'll ask Allura for it in the morning."

"You do realise, Number Five, that this means extra training for you." Coran waggled his eyebrows at her, once more twirling his moustache.

Pidge groaned but smiled back. Yes, but she would do it. The consequences if she didn't could be deadly.

They sat for a few more minutes until Pidge yawned and rubbed her eyes, so Coran helped her up and guided her back to her room. At the door, Pidge smiled up at him in his silver robe with bare feet and no gloves and mussy hair.

"Thank you, Coran," she said.

The reply was as heartfelt as it was instant: "Anytime, my friend."

-:-:-:-

When Shiro and Keith arrived on the training deck for their early morning spar, it was to find the deck already occupied. Pidge stood in the middle of the room, eyes closed, Allura behind her, her hands on Pidge's shoulders, while Coran stood off to the side, his gaze flicking only once to the intruding pair. It didn't take Shiro long to zero in on the headband in Pidge's hair, and he gaped.

It occurred to him a second later that Coran was talking. "…her? Feel her strength and solidity. Make it yours. Deep breaths, Pidge. Good. Now, very slowly, reach out and _find_."

Find? Find what?

They had clearly walked in on a lesson well in progress, and Shiro waved Keith to back out of the room. They froze when Coran shook his head and crooked a finger at them to stay.

So stay they did, quiet and waiting.

Shiro felt it when… _something_ brushed against him. Not against his skin but more like _under_ his skin, somewhere among his muscles or deep in his bones.

Beside him, Keith stiffened.

And then Pidge's eyes flew wide and she stumbled, clutching her head. Allura steadied her, using one hand to slide the headband quickly off Pidge's head while the other stayed on Pidge's shoulder until she had regained her balance.

"I'm okay," Pidge whispered. "Surprised me, that's all." She looked up at them, and Shiro ached to see the bags under her eyes and the lines across her forehead; but then she smiled at them and said, "I thought it was you."

Coran grinned and clapped. "Very good, Pidge! Very good indeed! Shiro, Keith, forgive our usurpation of the training deck. We went a little over time."

Shiro dared to smile and stride forward, saying, "Not a problem. I take it this is extra training?" He cocked an eyebrow at Pidge who blushed.

"Coran's teaching me some tips for the Olkari gem," she explained. "Allura's helping."

"Good," said Shiro. "That's good. Are you feeling better?"

She nodded, her smile small but present, and a pang went through Shiro's heart because he had missed that smile. "Yeah," she said. "I'm getting there, so…yeah."

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	21. Chapter 21: Birds of a Feather, Part I

**Author's Note:** Special Thanks to **katiewinchester87** , **PersonaBailey** , **Sky Cat** , **Candyphone** , **Star-The-Writer** , **Guest** , **Triscribe** , **civilcollins** , **just fan things** , **chocolatechipwiz** , **JackieStarSister** , **KnightOwl247** , **Guest (A Faithful Reader)** , **sayanite** , **avidbeader** , **Fluehatraya** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Strawberry r Kitty** , **ShatteredIce18** , **IcyPanther** , **Kinzichi** , **SailorNeptune17** , **migrane** , **CocoMint** , **Sage McGavin** , **Lightstormlynn** , **Justanangryfangirl** , **JapaneseMitsuye** , **Bookdancer** , s **adisticwriter42** , **Guest** , **FangirlShipper-45** , **C'est moi** , **SabreML** , **ereborbust** , **spot6600** , **22velvetspoons** , and **Dragonsroses**. Thank you all soooo much for your wonderful and kind reviews!

Welcome to all new favouriters and followers! :D

So. I know I've fallen off the writing wagon for this fic, but my muse was dumb, school was intense, etc., etc., etc., lame-o excuses. ANYWAY, I separated this next prompt into two sections. I haven't written Part II at all, but you all have been so patient and kind, that I'm just going to post Part I. You deserve it! :D

Also, this fic has reached 506 reviews (how? why? what did I do to deserve 506?) and so I give a virtual hug to and throw virtual confetti at **C'est moi** for being the 500th review! Merci beaucoup, mon ami(e)!

Heads up: I'm still ignoring Seasons 3 and 4 for now. Matt may or may not feature eventually. I haven't worked anything out yet.

And now, without further ado, Chapter 21!

For **ThatOneBlondeNerd**. (At last!)

 _Chapter 21: Birds of a Feather, Part I_

The eggs had hatched a few weeks ago, four all-told. It was a good brood, all healthy and strong. In three months, they would be ready to fly, but for now, their wings were tiny and useless, and the hatchlings ate and slept, doing and being capable of little else. There was little to fear until one day when strange birds visited that strange nest on the other side of the mountain, and four became three.

-:-:-:-

 _"_ _Pidge, for the millionth time, get out of there!"_

Pidge gritted her teeth and willed the download faster. "We need this info, Hunk. You nagging me won't make this go faster."

 _"_ _You have two doboshes, Pidge,"_ Shiro cut in over the coms. _"If it's not done, you cut and run. Do you understand?"_

"Yeah, Shiro. Got it."

 _"_ _Lance, you carry her out of there if you have to."_

Pidge locked eyes with Lance who stood by the door, his rifle gleaming in the holoscreens' light. His gaze didn't leave hers as he said, "Copy that."

Pidge said nothing and turned back to the console, her eyes flicking up to monitor the download. Seventy-two percent… seventy-six…

Less than two minutes later, a not-too-far-away explosion rocked the outpost. Lance stumbled against the doorframe and Pidge gripped the console to keep balance.

"What was that?" she began to say but Keith cut her off.

 _"_ _We got a fleet! They're bombarding the mountain!"_

"Pidge, we need to go," Lance said, advancing towards her.

"I'm not leaving until this is finished, and I still have half a dobosh left." Ninety-three percent. Come on, come on…

A hand swept into view, snatching the downloading chip from its port.

"Lance!" Pidge protested as arms wrapped around her waist and jerked her upward, tossing her over a shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Pidge," Lance bit out as he ran out of the room and down the hall. "Your life is not worth this!"

"But the universe's is?" Pidge shot back. "Put me down!"

"Shiro, we're cutting and running!"

 _"_ _Copy that. We'll try to keep them from bringing the mountain down on you, but hurry up and get to your Lions."_

Klaxons blared and Pidge swore. "Put me down now! That's for the lockdown! They'll trap us in here! I can run just fine!"

Lance hesitated for a second before swinging her down mid-step. Pidge had done this multiple times in training, so it was second-nature to land smoothly and settle into a run.

Hunk suddenly shouted: _"The outer doors just slammed shut!"_

Then Coran butted in. _"It's a systematic lockdown. The doors are closing from the outside in. Pidge, if you use your bayard, you might be able to overload the…"_

"Overload the door locks and open them manually," Pidge finished. "Got it. How many doors between us and outside?"

 _"_ _From the looks of it, I'd say about…eleven."_

"Eleven?"

A great clang echoed in front of them and they slid to a halt at the abrupt dead-end. Pidge ripped her way into the panel and activated her bayard amongst the exposed wiring. Sparks burst and the doors slid apart a few centimeters. "Lance!" she called.

Lance lunged forward and pried them apart with a squeal. It wasn't more than a couple of feet, but it was enough, and Pidge slipped through with Lance behind her.

"Ten doors left," he announced.

 _"_ _Good,"_ said Shiro. _"Coran, send their progress to us. I want a live feed."_

Pidge and Lance never heard Coran's acquiescence; from down the adjacent hall on their left came a squad of Galra drones, blasters firing. They both ducked, their shields on-lining within the second, and scurried past the intersection just as another explosion rocked the small outpost.

They covered each other as they fled, Lance protecting Pidge from behind as they ran and as she worked on each panel, and she shielded him while he pried the doors open. It was times like this when she wished Coran would let her wear the Olkari gem in the field. Missions were forbidden ground for the headband, and while Pidge could understand why (it had only been five weeks since her first training session), it didn't stop her from wanting an extra weapon that could serve her in a long-range style. Plus, she could have just reduced the doors to molecules and made their escape that much easier.

But life was never that easy, not for a Defender of the Universe.

 _"_ _Last door,"_ Coran informed them.

Pidge and Lance ripped it open with prejudice, the gang of Galra drones behind them having been thinned substantially.

 _"_ _You're coming out on the east side,"_ said Shiro. _"We'll cover you –"_

 _"_ _What the hell is that!?"_ screeched Keith, sending Pidge and Lance scurrying backwards towards the base's shelter. Words like _bomb_ , _missile_ , and _druid_ dashed through her brain, and Lance stood in front of her, rifle at the ready for anything, while she guarded his back.

Hunk's voice was torn between awe and horror as he relayed, _"Guys, we've got a bird! Like, an actual bird. It's freaking huge and just took out a fighter! Holy crap, there's another one!"_

With a low, keening trill, the bird swept low over the base, and Pidge's jaw dropped. Freaking huge was right – it was bigger than Green was long from nose to rump, and had the wingspan to carry it. The creature was pure white, matching the snow that was on the mountaintops and blowing through the air, with deep violet markings on its head, breast, and wings. The backdraft from its wings as it flew over made them both stumble against the ruined door, snow flying against their visors. Rubbing at her visor, Pidge saw the second – this one marked in gold – follow its partner, and together they soared into the surrounding clouds and disappeared.

Pidge tore her gaze away and looked to Green across the icy landing pad. Three hundred metres separated them, but with the birds, the Galra fighters, and three of Voltron's Lions surging overhead, it might as well have been three hundred kilometers.

Green's worry, already filtering through her mind, spiked. _My Paladin!_ she shouted just as Lance, too, yelled and yanked her to the side. Blaster fire struck the wall above their heads, and what was left of the doors blew down in a screech of torn and melted metal: more drones, and at their head was a squad of soldiers.

Friggin' perfect.

She brought her shield up just in time to avoid a volley of shots. "We need cover now!" she yelled. Twenty-five on two were horrible odds.

 _"_ _I'm on my way! Hang on!"_

"In the name of Emperor Zarkon, lay down your weapons or we'll open fire!" a commander ordered.

"Hold your ground, Pidge, and hold your shield." Lance's voice was surprisingly calm beside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him crouch around her legs and raise his rifle. Pidge angled her shield ever-so-slightly to allow him the shot, and he took it.

The commander dropped, falling on his face.

 _She stepped back, letting the creature fall on her face, and Pidge couldn't help but think of Ghovu, face-down in his own blood._

"Oh, no," she rasped. No, no, no. She was getting better. She was getting better. Why was this happening? Why was this happening _now?_ Training with the gem had helped stem the nightmares and flashbacks – she hadn't had one of either in almost two weeks now. She was supposed to be getting better…

Somewhere nearby, Green roared.

"PIDGE!" An arm snagged her around the waist, yanking her down. Transparent turquoise seared through the images behind her eyes, and she blinked then blinked again.

Lance's shield was covering them both. While the lieutenants had faltered at the death of their commander, the drones, machines that they were, returned fire.

Lance was shouting into the coms: "…idge isn't responding! Where's that cover!?"

 _"_ _Right here! Open fire on this!"_ The Yellow Lion plummeted and landed hard on all fours in the midst of the enemy troop. Pidge held perfectly still as Yellow's tail swung overhead, a scanty three feet off their skulls. The tell-tale sound of Lion cannon fire echoed off the mountain, and then Black and Red fell low, aiming for the base itself.

The Galra scattered, shouting in fear, while the drones continued to shoot.

"Lance." Pidge touched the hand around her midriff, ignoring how wispy her voice sounded. "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Lance met her gaze, and she saw the doubt in his face, but then Shiro was in their ears.

 _"_ _If you guys can run, do it now!"_ he commanded. _"Keith, watch for those birds in case they come back."_

Lance's grip shifted, hauling at her, "Time to go! We have to run!" and they scrambled to their feet, racing for their Lions.

They were nearly there when Keith shouted a warning: the birds were back. One – the violet one – swooped down from the cloudy peaks above while the gold one reared up from below. They veered before they could collide, going left and right, and flew in tight circles around the platform. Green roared and lunged upward, defending her paladin. Blue, too, rumbled, lumbering to all fours. Pidge and Lance paused, caught between opposing forces.

 _"_ _Can anyone get a clear shot at these things?"_ demanded Shiro.

 _"_ _Lance and Pidge are out in the open. I can't get a clear shot. The birds are moving too fast!"_ Keith replied, and Hunk was busy with the drones still pouring out of the base.

"We're gonna have to run for it," said Lance. "Blue, baby, calm down! We need to get out of here!"

Blue obeyed but Green still snarled, not firing but about to.

Pidge lunged forward, calling. "Stop it, Green! Leave them alone! They're not doing anything! Quit freaking out!"

 _Green will protect my Paladin. My Paladin will not suffer again._

"I'm fine!" she shouted back, not bothering with the mental link; the blaster shots behind her didn't inspire comfort, and at the back of her mind, a crowd shouted for blood. She spotted Lance at Blue's ramp, hesitating as he glanced back at her.

 _"_ _Pidge, what is Green doing? Get in and get out of there!"_

"You try boarding a rampaging Lion, Shiro!" Her voice broke on his name, her terror piquing and leaking out. She was out in the open with only her bayard and shield. Her Lion was reacting to her emotions, she knew. There was no way to calm her until she calmed herself first.

Maybe it was good that she hadn't brought the headband.

A loud screech made everyone look up. Keen gold eyes were luminescent in the driving snow, and those eyes were fixed on Pidge.

Both Green and Blue snarled a warning (Lance tumbling into his Lion as she moved) but neither bird heeded. They both dived, talons outstretched.

 _"_ _Pidge!"_ She couldn't tell who shouted her name.

 _My Paladin! Come to Green!_

The order shattered Pidge's terror and she obeyed, lunging towards her Lion.

The birds were faster.

The white world went dark. Something massive landed on top of her, thick ropes wrapped around her, and then the world brightened once more as the ground fell away in a whoosh of wind and feathers.

"Green!" Pidge screamed, reaching over the scaly toes.

 _Green is coming, my Paladin!_

 _"_ _Paladins, you have incoming!"_ Coran warned at the same time.

Snow and feathers blurred together as a flock – or murder or committee or whatever – streamed past the gold-marked bird and Pidge. Screaming and shrieking, they fell among the pursuing Lions, gouging and tearing from every angle, grabbing tails, guns, and panelling.

"No!" Pain ripped through Pidge when three massive birds ganged up on Green and tore through her circuits. Shouts erupted from the coms as her friends felt their Lions' pain and tried to fight despite it, tried to get to her.

And the bird continued to carry Pidge higher and higher and farther and farther away from her Lion and her team and her home.

-:-:-:-

Green was in the worst condition, unable to get off the ground, let alone fly herself back to her hangar. While the shield on her back had protected her somewhat, the birds had been ruthless, going for the belly, sides, and neck. Her tail gun had nearly been ripped in half and the cockpit was open to the elements.

Manoeuvering Yellow (who was sparking and listing slightly to one side) through the confines of Green's hangar and disengaging the towing cable, Hunk watched Green slump – _slump!_ – to the floor and keen.

Yellow landed without him doing so and lay down beside her fellow Lion. Hunk quickly exited and rested his hand on the massive, green paw.

"It's gonna be okay," he said. They would get Pidge back. They would get Green and Blue and Yellow all fixed up. It was all going to be okay.

Green's high-pitched keening trailed off into a low whine, and Yellow stutteringly purred down their bond.

 _Thank you, Paladin mine._

-:-:-:-

Pidge was holding back tears when they finally landed, the bird setting Pidge down on a wide ledge. Green was attempting to block their bond to keep her paladin from feeling her pain, but some leaked through anyway. Waves of agony rippled through Pidge's brain and heart, and she tried her best to ignore them and instead looked around.

She couldn't see the ground when she peered over the edge, but she did spot other ledges with large nests tucked against the cliff-face. She counted four nests, those she could see; the clouds obscured the rest, if there were any.

"Looks like a nice neighbourhood you have up here," she observed idly.

A beak nudged her chest, pushing her away from the edge and into a massive nest of twigs, branches, feathers, and lichen. Three chicks, pure white but for coloured markings on their fluffy bodies, chirped and chirruped at her.

The chicks were as tall as Pidge, maybe an inch or two bigger.

Pidge took one look at the green-splashed chicks and groaned. Of course. Of course this had to happen to her.

Her com wasn't working – too far or interference from the storm (she needed to fix that) – so she sat down in the nest, pulled her knees up, and rested her chin there. "Guess I'm going to be here for a while," she said to the chicks who continued to cheep and hop around her. "Oof! No. Get off. I'm not a jungle gym! I'm not your sibling!"

The gold-marked bird (Pidge was beginning to suspect it was female) hopped close and peered at Pidge, blinking a bright, golden eye. She trilled and nudge Pidge towards the centre of the nest.

"Okay, okay. I'm going. No need to push." She plopped herself down and glared. "Happy now?"

The bird made a 'prrrt' noise before straddling the nest on legs as thick as Shiro's waist.

"Oh, no…"

Pidge had to admit that, even though she was lying in a pitch-black nest and being sat on by a giant bird, she was quite comfortable.

 _Green,_ Pidge begged.

Far away though she was, in pain from torn panelling and circuits, Green purred at her. _Pride Voltron comes for my Paladin,_ she promised. _Be patient. Pride Voltron will come._

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review! :)


	22. Chapter 22: Birds of a Feather, Part II

**Special Thanks** to **rainbowrider1290** , **ThatOneBlondeNerd** , **katiewinchester87** , **kelli.n.c** , **just fan things** (your reviews on Chapters 10, 14, and 21), **secretly obsessed fangirl0103** , **Sky Cat** , **lizzybudd** , **Hexenwerk** , **bayboo20** , **AlecGateway** , **Silexwitch** , **Lightstormlynn** , **GlaceonSnow** , **Madiline Magnolia** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **Guest** , **Triscribe** , **TMNT-Queen** , **Pony1997** , **Star-The-Writer** , **ladyAlyafaelyn** , **erebororbust** , **Rookblonkorules** , **KnightOwl247** , **Kinzichi** , **Strawberry r Kitty** , **marmoreal** , **Guest** , **Defiant Nefelibata** , **C'est moi** , **avidbeader** , **Thiendrah** , **Fir3danc3r** , **MashumaroTheMarshmallowDragon** , **ChaosHeart999** , **Guest** , **Enra** , and **Guest**. Thank you all for your wonderfully kind reviews!

I do have to make this little note: This fic has 547 reviews, 341 favourites, 363 followers, 1 community, and Chapter 21 got 1,371 hits! Thank you all for enjoying my writing! It still boggles my mind how many of you love what I'm doing, so thank you! :D

 _Chapter 22: Birds of a Feather, Part II_

Shiro had never been more grateful that out of all the Lions, Black was the biggest. He allowed Black full control as she carried Blue towards the castle.

"You doing okay, Lance?" he asked.

There was no answer over the coms, and Shiro's racing heart picked up speed. "Lance?"

 _"Ungh… Shiro…?"_

"Lance? Lance, what's wrong?"

 _"It…it hurts. Everything hurts… Blue…"_

Shiro had a channel open to the Bridge before Lance had finished speaking. "Coran, prep a pod for Lance. He's hurt."

 _"Right away, Shiro. How bad is he?"_

"Not sure yet. We're almost to Black's hangar. I'll bring him down to you."

 _"Understood."_

Black stirred in the back of his mind, humming anxiously. _My Paladin, Blue's paladin is feeling Blue's pain. Blue cannot fully block the bond to spare Blue's paladin._

Shiro blinked. "What?"

Black waited until she had set Blue down in the hangar and replied, _Blue is wounded. All Lions feel pain. Paladins feel pain along with Lions, but the bond can be blocked to keep the paladin healthy. Blue cannot block her pain enough to spare Blue's paladin._

"Lance is hurt because Blue's hurt?" Shiro had left the cockpit and was running for Blue now.

 _Correct._

An image of birds tearing through the Blue and Green Lions flashed in front of Shiro's eyes. Talons as long as his arm ripped apart metal as if it had been wet paper, and he had to wonder how that felt. To be in pain with no discernible damage?

And Yellow had suffered some minor damage – was Hunk okay?

Blue let him in without hesitation and he raced up the ramp for the cockpit.

"Lance?" he called. "Lance, talk to me, buddy."

"Sh…Shir…o…"

Lance was still in the pilot seat but he was near limp. His head lolled heavily, his eyes and mouth scrunched into a tight grimace, and his breathing was laboured. He didn't even open his eyes when Shiro crouched beside him. "Hurts…" he moaned.

"Shh." Shiro hushed him gently and so carefully picked him up. "I know it hurts. It's going to be okay. I'm going to get you to a pod, okay? Coran's prepping one right now."

"Pidge… Green…"

"Don't you worry, Lance," Shiro assured him, bearing him out of the Lion. "It's all going to be okay."

At the infirmary, Shiro relayed to Coran what Black had told him.

Coran paled drastically. "The pod won't help him," he lamented.

"At the very least, it'll knock him out," Shiro countered. "Please."

Coran nodded, and together they stripped Lance of his armour and set him into the pod. He twisted and whimpered, clutching at his chest as if something were ripping him apart from the inside.

Shiro waited until the cryo system had kicked in, fully rendering Lance unconscious, before leaving.

Allura was waiting for him on the Bridge, as were Hunk and Keith. Hunk looked a little pale but otherwise healthy.

"How is he?" was the first thing out of Hunk's mouth.

"The pod can't heal him because there's nothing to heal," Coran answered, "but at least he's unconscious. He won't feel his Lion's pain anymore."

Hunk nodded solemnly. "I fixed Yellow. It was just some loose wiring. She's good to go."

"That's good," said Shiro. He turned to Allura. "Any luck on finding Pidge?"

She shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, Shiro. There's too much interference from the storm to find Pidge with the castle's systems."

Shiro's right hand curled into a fist. "Thank you, Allura." He managed to say it relatively politely and made to turn away, but Coran caught his shoulder.

"Just because the castle's systems can't locate her, doesn't mean we're giving up," he said. "We can always do this the old-fashioned way."

"How?" Shiro bit out. "We have only three operational Lions. Those birds did a number on us."

"Three are better than none, my boy." Looking over his shoulder at Allura, Coran added, "I can take a shuttle and search with them."

"No, Coran," she replied, her face impassively stony. "I need you here for the Lions. You're the only one who has enough experience to repair them. Hunk will assist you." Steel flashed in her opalescent gaze as she finished with, "I will pilot the shuttle and search with Shiro and Keith."

"I already told you: I fixed Yellow. I'm going to look for my friend."

"Coran will need assistance –" Allura began but Shiro cut her off.

"Blue and Green aren't going anywhere. They'll be here when we get back, and we need as many eyes as we can get to look for Pidge."

"He has a point, Princess," Coran put in quietly. "Our systems can't track her and the Green Lion is in no condition to search with us. We can formulate a grid pattern and search that way. It's unbearably old-fashioned but it still has merit."

"Fine. But Shiro and I will do the grid. Coran, I want you to work on Blue first. Lance needs it most."

"What about Green?" whispered Keith. "If Lance is this bad, then what will happen to Pidge? Green was torn apart the worst."

"It depends on numerous factors," said Allura, "but I know distance plays into it. If Pidge is far enough away, then she won't be able to feel as much. It'll also help if Green, too, is blocking the pain."

"Maybe I should stay and help, then?" offered Hunk.

"We need you and Yellow as part of the search party," Keith put in.

"But if Coran and I get Blue up and running, then Lance can join you," Hunk argued. "Shiro?"

Shiro despaired. He didn't want to make this decision: to choose between teammates. Pidge was alone and possibly on the menu; but of them all, Hunk was the most experienced mechanic and engineer.

Hunk regarded him quietly and then delivered his final strike. "I can fix Green up, too, so Pidge won't pass out from pain when you bring her home."

And that decided him.

"Do it. Keith, get to your Lion. No, don't argue with me. Just go. Allura, those winds are too strong for a shuttle, so you'll be with me."

She nodded curtly and followed after him when he turned on his heel and strode out.

 _Be courageous, my Paladin. Do not despair. Pride Voltron stands with its paladins. Pride Voltron will not let a paladin fall._

Shiro heard, though Black didn't say it, the underlying _Not this time._

-:-:-:-

Keith's gaze flicked from the visual screens to the bio-scanning radar on the far side of the console, and back again.

"Anything?" he ventured, knowing what the answer would be.

 _"Nothing"_ was Allura's reply. _"We'll keep looking."_

Because there was nothing else they could do. For all they knew, Pidge was dinner.

Red rumbled at Keith, her presence nuzzling. _Have faith, my Paladin. Green would know if Green's paladin was lost. Green's paladin still lives. Take heart._

Keith exhaled heavily. "Take heart. Right. If you say so."

 _Red does._

He quirked a smile, and that smile grew when Red purred.

Blip-blip!

Keith jerked forward. "My bio-scan just picked up a lifeform!" he announced, checking the diagnostics. "It's Pidge-sized! Looks like she's stuck on a ledge halfway up the mountain."

Shiro's voice whipped out over the coms: _"We got her, too! Take the lead, Keith. I don't think Black can get close enough."_

"Copy that." _All right, Red,_ he thought. _Let's go get our teammate._

Red roared mentally rather than vocally (no sense in accidentally causing an avalanche) and reacted to Keith's hands on the controls.

At Red's suggestion, they landed on the mountainside, Red digging her claws in to anchor herself in the rock. Keith used his jetpack and kept tight to the cliffs to avoid the harsh wind. He touched down amongst the crags and picked his careful way to where the scan indicated.

"Pidge?" he called.

There was no answer over the coms – maybe hers had been knocked out?

"Pidge!"

And then he spotted green in the white drifted snow in a half-sheltered niche. His heart leaped into his mouth. "I got her! I got eyes on Pidge! I –" Keith broke off because...it wasn't Pidge. It was a bird of some kind, maybe a bit bigger than Pidge was tall, and definitely a baby. Its soft down was a luxurious shade of white, with green markings on its wings, head, and chest. It chirped weakly at him, shuddering hard in its pitiful shelter.

 _"Keith! Keith, come in! Is it Pidge? Do you have Pidge?"_ Hope soared through Shiro's voice.

"N-no," Keith replied, hating himself as he said the word. "False alarm. But, Shiro, you are not going to believe this." He scanned it and sent the info with a couple of quick taps on his wrist's computer.

Allura audibly gasped.

 _"Huh"_ was all Shiro said.

 _"Well,"_ Allura said quietly, _"at least we know why the adult went after Pidge. It was just a mother looking for her baby."_

 _"I don't want to find out what will happen when mom figures out Pidge isn't her actual chick,"_ muttered Shiro.

 _"We can't leave it there,"_ said Allura.

"What are we going to do with it? Trade it for Pidge?" Keith demanded.

Shiro sighed quietly _. "No, Keith. She's right. Take it to your Lion carefully. It looks cold, too. Check the compartment in the cockpit on the left side – there should be some first aid and some survival gear in there."_

"Copy that."

Keith sighed, looking the bird over and thinking hard. "Okay. Let's do this."

-:-:-:-

"Okay. Let's do this."

Pidge had waited for everyone to fall asleep, which had taken hours for Mama Bird. Now, with the slow and gentle breathing encompassing her, she squirmed her way out of the nest and ducked behind a large rock near the cliff's ledge. She looked up and eyed the distance to the next overhang carefully, her quick brain calculating rapidly. It was…definitely possible… Maybe.

Another wave of fresh agony swept through her heart and Pidge gasped, clutching her chest in reflex. _Green,_ she whimpered.

 _Green is sorry, Little One. Green can't help it._

Pidge had to wonder how far away she was to still feel her Lion's pain, dulled though it was. She also wondered how she was going to manage when she got back to the castle.

And the others. She'd seen Blue and Yellow both take substantial hits – were Lance and Hunk okay? She hoped so. It was bad enough her Lion had gotten hurt, but the rest of the team? That was all on her.

 _No, Paladin mine. It is no one's fault,_ Green soothed, her purr stuttering.

A low squawk reminded Pidge of her predicament and promptly ended the blame game. Mama bird stirred in her nest, rearranging herself as her mate lifted his head sleepily to allow her the movement. He settled back down the moment she was still again, his head lying across her back.

Pidge exhaled slowly and returned to the task at hand: getting as far from these birds as possible. Engaging her bayard, she launched the grappling hook upward where it lodged somewhere beyond her vision, in the thick snow and cloud. She tugged hard once, twice, and somehow managed to convince herself that it was just another tree.

 _Come on, Pidge,_ she grumbled at herself. _At least no one's shooting at you._

The bayard retracted, pulling her up the mountain, and she landed amongst a series of crags in the rock face. Taking a peek below, she guessed she was about twenty feet above the nest.

About to launch again to go higher, a muffled rumble echoed off the rock and through the winter air, freezing her in place.

It sounded like…like engines.

Galra or Lion?

"Hello?" she ventured into her coms. If it was a Lion – and she was about ninety-two percent sure that it was a Lion – then maybe they were close enough to hear…

 _"Pidge? Pidge, is that you?"_

"Allura!? Are you piloting a Lion?"

Allura laughed – Pidge treasured the sound – and replied, _"No, Pidge. Shiro and I are in the Black Lion. Keith is in the Red Lion and in the valley below you. Are you all right?"_

"I'm okay. Is Green okay?"

It was Shiro who answered but with a question: _"Pidge, be truthful now. Can you feel Green's pain?"_

If Shiro knew, then something terrible had happened with the other Lions and paladins. "She…she can't block the bond properly enough. It's not too bad. I think I've had worse, but…are Lance and Hunk okay?"

 _"Hunk is fine,"_ Allura assured her.

"And Lance?"

There was a heavy silence over the coms until Shiro said so quietly, " _We had to put him in a pod. He was in too much pain. Hunk and Coran are fixing up Blue and Green as we speak."_

Pidge nodded, tears burning behind her eyes. Green was so wrong. It was all her fault.

 _"Pidge? You still there?"_

She was about to respond when there was a shriek from below and white blurs shot from the ledge. "The birds know you're here! Get out of here!"

 _"We're not leaving you, Pidge!"_ Shiro bit out. _"Keith, I got their attention. Move! Allura, take the coms!"_

 _"Right. Now, Pidge. Listen very carefully. I need you to climb back down to the nest."_

"I don't like this plan," said Pidge, but she squeezed out from her shelter into open air and activated her bayard.

 _"Hey, Pidge!"_ Keith called. _"I found your replacement."_

"My what?"

 _"We know why the birds took you,"_ Allura explained. _"Keith found their missing baby."_

"They were…missing one? I just figured they'd grabbed me 'cause I looked like one." She paused, half-off the cliff and about to swing down, and thought of something. "You are NOT ALLOWED to tell Lance!"

 _"You kidding? It's the first thing I'm going to say to him when he gets out of that pod!"_ snickered Keith. He sobered quickly, saying, _"Shiro, I'm in position."_

 _"Pidge, you need to move! The Red Lion can't get to you."_

"Coming."

Pidge could make out Red's armour through the blowing snow several feet down, her yellow eyes bright and illuminating. "I can see Red," she announced just as Keith shouted, _"Pidge!"_

She looked up instinctively and yelped when a purple-tinged bird fell from above, talons extended.

Papa bird.

Oh, crap!

Pidge clung to her bayard with all her strength and closed her eyes, bracing for impact.

It never came. The backdraft from the wings as they passed buffeted her and slammed her into the cliff. Still, she hung on and watched as Papa bird fell on Red, shrieking and screeching.

"NO!"

Pidge had no idea who screamed – it could have been her or Keith who felt Red's agony or Shiro or even Allura – but then she was on the ground and running, and her bayard hummed in her hand.

The Red Lion reared on her back legs, protecting what huddled under her: Keith, with a fluffy, white baby bird tinged in green.

"Stop, stop!" she cried – and miracle of miracles, Papa bird did.

He spotted her and retreated to the ground, crouching over her and squawking in Red's direction.

Pidge had no time for this. She slashed at the nearest leg and ignored the sharp chirp as she dashed for the safety of Red's underbelly. She slipped in the snow and fell on her side, sliding under the great shadow.

"Pidge." Keith held onto the chick, visibly shaking and ghastly pale.

"Easy, easy," she soothed. "I'll be right back." Taking the chick from Keith, she guided it out from under Red and toward Papa bird.

 _"You've got the gold one incoming!"_ Shiro warned.

"I got this," she replied firmly.

The chick squeaked and chirruped when it saw its dad and waddled faster, flapping its useless wings and opening its beak.

There was a muffled _whumpf_ when Mama bird landed and peered over her mate's shoulder at the two chicks out of their nest, one demanding attention, while the other hung back with the red four-legged bird. Pidge watched her watch her. Mama bird tilted her head, her large, golden eyes flicking between her and the chick coming at them.

In that instant, Pidge saw great intelligence because realisation and understanding dawned in those eyes, and, yep, Mama bird squeak-squawked, bowing her head in shame as much as to nuzzle her lost baby.

Pidge nodded once and turned back to Red. "Come on, Keith. Let's go home."

To her intense relief, Keith was able to stand and walk up the ramp into Red and drive home. Pidge sat behind him in a seat that hadn't been there before and fell asleep to the gentle engines.

-:-:-:-

It was when Pidge whimpered in her sleep behind him that Keith remembered the dose in its syringe in a small compartment in the survival gear kit. Coran had told them all what it did before they'd gone out of communications range. "Fly steady, girl," he encouraged his Lion as he fetched it out and sneaked up on Pidge.

Pidge twitched and muttered, her face pinched with growing pain as they drew nearer to the castle. Taking off her helmet carefully, Keith injected half the dose into her neck, per Coran's instructions. She stilled almost instantly, her breathing smoothing out.

 _"We're coming up on the castle, Keith,"_ Shiro said through the coms. _"How's Pidge?"_

"I just knocked her out. If Coran's right, she'll be okay until we get her to a pod."

 _"Copy that. See you in there."_

"Yeah." Keith's smile was small as he swept Pidge's hair out of her eyes. "See you."

-:-:-:-

Four days later, Pidge exited her cryo pod to a full team, a purring and healthy Green, and smiles all around.

When Lance grinned at her, though, and said, "Tweet, tweet", Pidge chased after him, but only after she had punched Keith's arm.

-:-

Have an absolutely wonderful holiday and new year, everyone!

Thank you for reading! Please review! :)


	23. Chapter 23: Home Alone

**Special Thanks** to **Guest** , **sadisticwriter42** , **katiewicnehster87** , **RavenNighwing42** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **marmoreal** , **Sky Cat** , **xephrys** , **LucKitty37** , **Vorserkeien** , **Star-The-Writer** , **Candyphone** , **avidbeader** , **DevilTito** , **KnightOwl247** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Fir3danc3r** , **erebororbust** , **YourOwnBeat1307** , **Triscribe** , **Fluehatraya** , **SpaceSquidLance** , **CalypsoNightshadeValdez12** , **Elf** , **Agent Moonlight** , **Kinzichi** , **AngelMouse5** , **Izzy** , **Miki** , **Guest** , **Guest** , **Guest** , **Guest** , **migrane** , **Guest** , **WolvesRock14** (for your reviews on Chapters 16 and 22), **Eveecat418** , **Guest** , **Guest** , **Guest** , **bigtimedreamer101** , **Gravtron1** (for your reviews of Chapters 5, 6, 11, and 22), **Guest** , **Crystalwolfey** , **Guest** , **R** , **who cares** , **Guest** (for your reviews of Chapters 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 22), **Clarissa George306** , **Pidgee Squishee** for your reviews! Thank you a hundred times over for your kindness and enthusiasm. :D :D :D

 **Congratulations** to **Guest** on February 27, Chapter 13! You're the 600th review! (Holy wow!) Thank you to all readers, and welcome to new followers and favouriters!

For **GlaceonSnow** who prompted me with a sick fic, and for **just fan things** who prompted me with "Home Alone". Thank you for being patient. This chapter was a long time coming. :)

 _Chapter 23: Home Alone_

It was bound to happen sooner or later, and Pidge was only surprised by how long it took. She wasn't surprised that it was her, either. Between her and Shiro, with bad sleeping habits and bad eating habits, anyone could have placed a safe bet on which of them got sick first.

"Wow, Pidge! You look awful!"

Sniff. "Thanks." Sniff. Pidge wiped her nose on her sleeve and blinked blearily up at Lance who stood in her way.

Far from the smug, cocky grin she was used to seeing on his face, he actually looked…concerned. His brows were low and his mouth twisted sideways as his hands came down on her shoulders and turned her back out of the dining hall. "Come on," he said. "Let's get Coran and get you into a pod."

Pidge was far too tired to protest. "O…kay," she said.

They found Coran easily enough on the Bridge, tinkering at his console.

"The pods are all out of commission right now," Coran said, his eyes kind and regretful as Pidge sniffled and coughed. "I'm sorry, Pidge. I finally put to work that cleaning system you and Hunk designed for the pods. It'll take at least twenty-four vargas."

"S'okay," Pidge mumbled. "I'll just ride it out."

"We're nearing the planet Drothro," Allura said, coming up behind them. "The capital, Cha'thro, will have medicines among the other supplies we need. We'll pick up something for you."

Pidge just nodded and smothered a sneeze.

A couple hours later, the castle was landed on the outskirts of Cha'thro and everyone was ready to go, even the mice which rode on Allura's shoulders. Everyone that was, except for Pidge.

"Cheer up, Pidge. We'll be back before you know it," said Lance as Pidge saw them out the door.

"I'll pick you up some tea," Hunk added, though what Pidge actually wanted was coffee, but she wasn't going to say that.

"Go straight to bed," Shiro ordered gently. "No laptop, no Green. Bed. Got it?"

Pidge sniffled, wiping her nose on a tissue from the packet (which Coran had given her because wiping on her sleeve was gross) in her housecoat pocket. "'Kay," she mumbled.

"You sure you'll be okay by yourself?" asked Keith.

"Yeah. Go." She flapped her free hand at them. "The sooner you leave, you sooner you get back."

Allura smiled. "I've set the proximity alarm but you need to lock the door behind us to engage it. We'll return in a few vargas."

Pidge nodded, her head aching, and they all left. She was closing the door when a sneeze attack took her and to her dismay, her nose started dripping blood.

Great. She was blowing her nose too much. Clenching tissues around her nose, she hurried to the nearest bathroom and promptly forgot about locking the door.

-:-:-:-

"Look at that, Xezo! I told you it was a castle!"

Xezo rolled all six of her eyes. "You said that already, Uvrie," she growled. "Now get down or you'll be seen!"

Uvrie obeyed, ducking behind the rocky outcrop to avoid the eyes of the castle's aliens that walked by. "So? What do we do?" he asked once they had passed out of earshot.

"We alert the rest of the gang. A place that big is bound to have some goodies."

-:-:-:-

Pidge trudged from the bathroom, down the hall, and all the way to her bed. "Ugh," she moaned, twisting beneath the covers. She tossed her unused tissues onto the bedside table and rolled over, willing every part of her body to stop hurting.

"A few more hours. Just a few more hours, and then Hunk will make me tea."

Until then, though, she would sleep…

Crash!

Pidge jerked awake, the little bedside clock Hunk had made her telling her it had been less than an hour since she'd dozed off. Rubbing the gunk out of her eyes, she fumbled out of bed. She was going to kill Lance for making so much noise.

Wait a tick…

She glanced back at her clock. Less than an hour? They couldn't be back already. They'd said they'd be gone for at least a few hours – vargas – whatever.

So…who was here? And how had they…gotten…in.

Horror plunged into her gut. She had forgotten to lock the front door.

"Hey! Watch it, Uvrie! You're making a mess!"

Pidge snapped her head around to stare at the door and the voices beyond it.

"Sorry, Xezo. Hey, Cly, come check this out!"

"Shiny! That'll fetch a pretty bit on the market."

Footsteps, heavy and close and getting closer. "I'm going to check these other rooms. See if there's anything."

Pidge's heart leaped into her mouth and she darted forward, her fingers rapid across the keypad. A quiet buzz told her she had sealed herself in, just as someone tried to enter.

"Locked," the someone grumbled.

"Then try somewhere else! We can't take everything."

Pidge loosed a held breath when footsteps walked away. Now what? Her bayard was on her desk in Green's hangar, she was locked in her room, and there were at least four strangers ransacking the castle – her home!

Gazing around, her eyes fell on the vent above her bed. She could probably reach it. She had to reach it.

Snatching a screwdriver from the floor, she stretched on tiptoes and within a minute was inside the vent. She didn't stop; she kept moving, crawling through the shafts with a destination in mind. Coran would be upset, and Allura, too, because Pidge was about to break into her private quarters. The Royal Wing was several vents away, but much closer than Green's hangar. Pidge smiled to herself. She knew the way.

-:-:-:-

Pidge listened hard for a full dobosh for any sign of the intruders before dropping down from the vent onto the plush carpet of Allura's bedroom.

Allura's room was still untouched, and Pidge felt nothing but relief when she spotted the small jewellery box on the bedside table. Opening it, she smiled because there, nestled amongst gems and rings and a few necklaces, was her headband.

Thieves had come into her home. They would pay.

-:-:-:-

Pidge kept to the vents as she made her way to the Bridge. She needed a safe location to enact her scheme. That, and she didn't want to blow her cover when she sneezed while sneaking up on the intruders.

Kicking the vent cover out, she scrambled down to the floor and to her station. A few quick taps on the keyboard sealed off the Bridge, and then she pulled up the security centre: the live holovid feed and the biometrics system.

"All right. How many are you?"

She waited the handful of ticks for the bio system to beep at her: seven blips popped up on-screen. She grinned and zeroed in on the Paladins' Hall where a lone blip lingered in Lance's room. "Let's see if this works," she said.

Focussing on the blip, she envisioned it in her mind's eye (because there were no cameras in any of the bedrooms), then pressed her palm to her chair's arm. _Go there, go there,_ she thought hard. Power seeped from her hand, twisting around itself in obvious confusion, but Pidge focussed harder, gritting her teeth. _That one. Bring down that one. That one there. Go there._

Twisting, writhing, hesitating, it finally obeyed and shot under the door. Using the monitors, Pidge kept one eye on the power's progress through the halls, jagged streaks like lightning following the corridor and her will to the lone thief in Lance's room. She felt it as it leeched into the floor, right beneath his feet, and the thief didn't notice until the floor opened up beneath him, swallowing him whole.

She sighed, falling back against her chair and breathing hard. She ignored her shaking hands. "One down. Six to go." But if taking down one from this distance drained her this much, she didn't want to think about what taking down six more would do to her.

But she would do it. One way or another.

-:-:-:-

Xezo had just exited a small armoury when her com crackled to life with Sholi's shrill voice: " _Xezo! The castle's alive! The floor just swallowed Obe! Swallowed her whole! Oh, Kallah, the walls are - !_ "

Static.

"Sholi? Sholi! Answer me! Loro? Cly? Uvrie, you miserable sack of _hukbar_ , answer me now!"

Nothing but static.

Then: "Xezo!" Duban came hurtling around the corner in front of her. "We're under attack! I just got away, but it's like it knows where to find us!"

"Slow down, Duban!" Xezo commanded. "Tell me what happened!"

"There's no time! We need to get out of here!" He made to run, but Xezo grabbed his arm.

"We're not just going to run away from the biggest loot of our lives," she hissed, baring her fangs.

Duban pried her off, his neck frill fully extended and vibrating slightly. "I'm not going to get myself killed for your greed," he snapped back. "We've got enough, so let's go!"

Xezo drew her blaster but she didn't get the chance to pull the trigger because eerie green light lit up the far end of the hall: along the walls, across the floor, and clinging to the ceiling, it streaked towards them like a myriad of lightning strikes.

Duban yelped and fled, dropping his loot bags.

Xezo, however, froze. She went positively still and held her breath and…the lightning passed her by. She watched with wide, unblinking eyes as it easily caught up to Duban. There was a flash as it sank into all surfaces, and then the wall lunged out like some mutant goop and gobbled up Duban with a quiet _glomph_.

Xezo stayed still, but the green light was gone. She smiled and relaxed, releasing her held breath. Her people had long ago developed the ability to cloak themselves. As long as she didn't move, she was safe.

But now…now she had to get out of this haunted house. Duban was right; she had enough – especially since Duban no longer needed his share.

-:-:-:-

Pidge stared first at the security camera's holoscreen and then at the biometrics system, then back again. She stared and stared, her sick and exhausted brain not quite comprehending what had just happened.

Then: "All-righty," she muttered.

It was certainly not impossible, just highly improbable. After all, these were aliens. Who was to say that they didn't have special abilities of their own?

"Like cloaking," she grumbled. "Biological cloaking."

A quick tap of her fingers replayed the footage from that camera. She saw the blue, frilled one run away, but the tan one just…froze. Froze and then vanished. From sight and from the biometrics system.

Pidge watched the screen until the tan alien reappeared in the hall. The thief moved slowly and carefully, ready to go ghost again at a moment's notice.

Pidge watched her inch down the hall, watched her pick up the sacks the other had dropped. Anger rumbled through her veins: those were her friends' things – things Lance, Hunk and Keith had had with them when they'd found the Blue Lion; things Allura and Coran had that were all that was left of their annihilated culture and people.

Pidge watched the thief's face and watched a smug smirk crawl across it. Victory. All over her face and in every line of her body as she made her slow but stalwart way to the front door. Victory at her loot. Victory at her impending escape.

Not while Pidge lived and breathed.

She hauled herself out of her chair, stumbling when vertigo punched her in the head, but staying on her feet. Sending Olkarian lightning all over the castle had taken a chunk out of her energy so she knew there was no way to take down that last thief – not from the Bridge anyway, not from a place of safety – but she didn't mind. That thief had come into her home and thought she could get away. Pidge would remedy that, and she had no qualms about delivering that remedy in person.

She stumbled her way from the Bridge and down the many halls, keeping an eye on her wrist computer which showed the thief's slow progress. Pidge was grateful for the thief's caution; it allowed her to head her off, and settling herself in a niche off to the side of the foyer, she waited.

She nearly nodded off, but the quiet tread of cautious feet snapped her attention to the thief whose six, bright green eyes were only for the front door bare metres away and wide open.

Gathering her feet under her and pressing her hand to the nearest wall, Pidge grinned. "Gotcha." Her raspy voice echoed through the foyer, freezing the thief in place.

"You must think I'm stupid," she informed the air. "I know how your cloaking works."

There wasn't even a shimmer of movement. The thief was betting on her bluffing.

Too bad.

Pidge glared right at the spot where the thief stood and smiled at the green lightning that shot forward from her hand. It darted along the wall and then snaked onto the floor, bearing in that supposedly-unoccupied spot.

A shimmer – the thief flinched – and the ground softened. A shriek, a jerk of movement, and the thief sank up to her chest in floor-turned-quicksand.

"Told ya so."

The thief blinked all six of her eyes. "Impossible."

"No," Pidge corrected, striding forward, "just highly improbable."

The shock wore off quickly and the thief swore. "When I get out of here, I'm going to rip your throat out!" she screamed at her, spittle flying. "You hear me? I'll tear you apart with my bare hands!"

Pidge rolled her eyes. "Good luck with that!" she scoffed.

"Pidge?"

"Shiro?" Pidge nearly fell when she turned too quickly, but strong hands steadied her. She smiled up at Shiro's worry and concern, and in her exhausted state said, "Hi. I forgot to lock the door."

"We can see that." Allura stalked forward, her opalescent eyes gleaming when they fell on the thief. "Who are you and what are you doing in the Castle of Lions?"

"The Castle of - ?" The thief trailed off in growing horror as she eyed each new person and then Pidge in turn. "Oh, Kallah, this is Voltron!"

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!" Lance sang.

"Please, Paladins! Please have mercy!"

"Interesting," Keith muttered. "Because I could have sworn I heard you threaten to rip our friend's throat out."

"I didn't know!"

"Like that makes it any better," grumbled Hunk.

"Was it just her?" Shiro looked at Pidge when he asked.

"No. The other six I've got trapped in different places throughout the castle."

"How…?" Coran started but then he froze, his eyes widening as he zeroed in on the headband in Pidge's hair.

"I didn't kill anyone," Pidge said, dropping her eyes and sniffling.

"We didn't think you would," Coran said carefully. "I am more concerned by the fact that you can't seem to stand."

"Well, I took down the six from the Bridge, using the cameras and bio system."

"That's dangerous, Pidge!" Allura fretted. "Olkarian technology shouldn't be used at a distance!"

"My sneezes would have given me away!"

"Um, sorry to break this up," Lance interrupted, "but we still have seven would-be thieves in our house. Can we, I don't know, take care of them before you ream Pidge out?"

"Yes, let's do that!" Coran said immediately. "Hunk, take Pidge to the kitchen and prep that tea for her. Make sure she takes two of those blue pills."

Hunk nodded and turned to Pidge. "On it. C'mon, Pidge. You can ride piggy-back."

-:-:-:-

Pidge drank her tea, took her meds, and was dozing off at the table when Lance shook her shoulder. "Pidge?"

"Hm?"

"Allura and Coran got the thieves out of the castle, and Shiro and Keith took them all down to the alien police station."

"Okay."

"Also, Hunk made popcorn. We're going to watch the footage of you going _Home Alone_ on the intruders."

Pidge lifted her head and blinked confusedly. "Like…the movie?"

"Yeah. Coming?"

In the end, Pidge didn't make it through the first five minutes of the home video. She fell asleep on Hunk's lap, her friends' laughter and the meds lulling her into dreamland.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	24. Chapter 24: Lookalike

**Special Thanks** to **Gravtron1** , **SpiritFighter208** , **FanGirlOfEveryone** , **Kinzichi** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **Rookblonkorules** , **Guest** , **KnightOwl247** , **Alkirian** , **katiewinchester87** , **BHMSZero** , **bigtimedreamer101** , **Guest** , **GUEST** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Fluehatraya** , **Alec Gateway** , **RavenNighwing42** , **Sky Cat** , **Disotterlyconduct** (sorry about the lack of a dot; FFnet won't let me), **Justfanthings** , **WolvesRock14** , **Silexwitch** , **Triscribe** , **HylianLoth-Kat** , **Guest** , **TeenTitansFanForever02** , **Guest** , **SmolBirdy5** , **Guest** , **Guest101** , **ForTheLuvOfPidge** , **ElectricGreen13** , **Guest** , **carinims01** , **Guest** , and **Guest** thank you for your reviews! :D

 _ **VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTES BELOW! PLEASE READ!**_

 **Author's Note Part I:** I just finished my last teaching practicum! Huzzah! I'll be a bona fide teacher in June when I get my degree and teacher's certificate. Thank you to all who waited patiently for me to update. It was a brutal practicum (and I'll say no more on that matter) and I'm sorry that I wasn't able to write as much as I hoped I would. To those of you who suggested more regular updates: I will update when I can, but I have no writing schedule because of reasons; and I will say no more on that matter. ;)

 **Author's Note Part II:** The fluff fest is over! Buckle up!

 **Dedication:** For **Triscribe** (your review of Chapter 9) and **Thiendrah** (your review of Chapter 21) who prompted me.

 _Chapter 24: Lookalike_

Trekking through the grimy swamp, Pidge winced at every squelch of her boots. Fog hung, thick, heavy and low, which was good because then she couldn't see how the spindly trees loomed over her and her friends with reaching claws, or how little bubbles popped up from the mud: a sure sign that many tiny somethings lived beneath their feet; but she could still see the faint turquoise lights on her friends' armour.

Squelch, squelch, squelch. "Stay close, guys," Shiro warned.

"No kidding," Lance muttered. "Hunk, stop twitching. I'm literally right next to you." Squelch.

"Sorry, bud. I can barely see anything, let alone who's beside me."

Squelch, squelch.

"You doing okay, Pidge?" asked Shiro.

"Fine." Squelch, squelch. "Let's just get this done and get out of here."

"I hear that," Lance agreed while Keith grumbled something about the Swamp of Sadness.

At just that moment, there was a horrible _squeeeeelch_ , and Pidge's left leg sank up to the thigh in muck. "Keith!" she shrieked because he was closest – maybe? She could only see the armour lights, not the colours amongst the white and mud – and braced her hands on the soft ground to try to haul her leg out.

Her shifting weight made her sink further and now both legs were stuck fast. She tried not to think of how deep she was, and yanked her arms out of the sucking muck to grab at Keith who was suddenly at her side. Hunk was there too, his outline huge against the fog as he snatched her other arm and helped Keith drag her out. Mud coated her from waist to toe.

"Sorry, sorry," Keith whispered. This close and with the lights playing across his face, Pidge could see how wide his eyes were.

Her heart was still pounding and she was still shaking when she said, "You are never, ever, ever allowed to make that reference while we're outside ever again." Her voice shook, too.

Keith nodded fervently. "Okay," he said weakly.

"Everyone okay?" Shiro loomed out of the gloom beside Keith, putting a hand on his shoulder and reaching for Pidge at the same time. "Pidge?"

"I'm okay. Thanks, Hunk, Keith."

"No problem." Hunk's voice also trembled a bit. "How about you walk in front of me?"

"Sounds like a great idea," said Shiro. "Come on, guys. We're almost there."

 _There_ was a Galra outpost buried deep in the swampland. While it was operated mostly by sentries, it did have a flesh-and-blood commander – Horgoti – and he operated this sector's go-to information hub. Size-wise, it was one of the smallest hubs, but it gathered and distributed a massive amount of data: everything from prisoner transfers to Galran fleets' positions to Voltron's success across the universe.

So the paladins were there to steal the information.

It was also underground, hence the reason why they couldn't use their Lions.

Pidge wanted nothing more than to get out of her armour and take a hot shower. She felt as if her very skin was clogged with mud and fog and fumes.

"Ow!"

The sudden hiss came from Shiro and everyone tensed. Pidge heard Lance's and Hunk's blasters hum with readiness.

"Shiro?" Keith asked.

"It's nothing. Sorry, guys. It was just an alien mosquito. Its bite packs a wallop."

"Great," said Lance. "First mud and fog and now bugs."

"Almost there, Lance," Shiro encouraged. "Come on, guys. The quicker we get this done, the quicker we can get off this mudball."

-:-:-:-

They had their tasks, so they separated, and Pidge followed Shiro who led the way down the hall to the hub's mainframe.

"Almost done," Pidge told Shiro several minutes later. She cast a glance back at him when he didn't say anything. He was tense, his right hand at the ready but not yet glowing. Sweat glistened in a sheen across what skin she could see. "Hey. You okay?"

He opened his mouth to reply when the console in front of Pidge beeped loudly.

"Crud!" she spat, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "Come on, come on…"

 _"What's going on, Pidge?"_ Lance asked over the coms.

 _"Everything okay?"_ added Hunk.

Pidge was about to reply when someone hit her from behind, tackling her to the floor. Months of hard training took over: her bayard appeared in her hand and she slashed, twisting away and steadying herself on her feet.

She faltered when she recognised the white and black armour.

"Shiro?" she gasped.

He lunged at her – Pidge froze in terror – and he covered her mouth with his prosthetic hand. Panic plunged into her stomach, but the hand remained cold against her skin as Shiro hissed, "Shh!"

 _"Pidge?"_ asked Lance. _"Pidge, what was that noise?"_

Pidge didn't even dare to touch Shiro's hand over her face, but her racing heat accelerated when he gasped quietly. "Can you hear her, too? She's in our heads. We got to get out of here. Stay quiet, all right? I'll protect you." That hand fell away only to rip Pidge's helmet off.

"Shiro, what are you doing?" Pidge demanded.

Voices hummed from her coms – and Shiro's, too, which was discarded on the floor nearby.

Shiro rounded on her, a glassy and panicked look in his eyes. "No questions. Not now. We got to get somewhere safe…" He grabbed her shoulder and started to drag her towards the door.

Pidge scrambled at his unbreakable grip. "Shiro, let go! We still have to complete the mission!"

The beeping console, without Pidge to work her magic, escalated to a shrill siren. Lights flashed.

Pidge could no longer hear the words shouted at her through the helmets on the floor, but she hoped her own words would get through: "Lance! Keith! Hunk! Shiro's gone berserk! Help us, please!"

Shiro clapped his free hand over her mouth as he hauled her through the door, and the door clanged shut behind them. Pidge's heart hammered in her chest and Shiro dragged her down the hallway.

Clank, clank, clank! Sentries. Lots of them.

Shiro yanked her sideways, out of the main hall and down a secondary corridor. "In here," he hissed, and before Pidge could blink, she was inside a closet. From the bare light under the door, she spotted shelves with tools, and on the floor in a corner were several small and disc-like droids – _Space rumbas?_ she wondered.

But she cut off that avenue of thought and focussed instead on Shiro. "Hey," she ventured, inching closer. He had let go of her the moment they were inside and the door firmly welded shut. "Shiro?"

Shiro stared at her with wide eyes that glinted red from the alert flashes outside. "Quiet! Can't you hear her? She's close. She's so close. Shh, Matt. She won't find us if we're quiet."

Pidge's heart froze in her chest and she hardly dared to look up at Shiro's face. But she did. His eyes were strangely glassy, sweat beading his forehead. He wiped his brow with a shaking hand. "Did," she whispered, "did you just call me…?" She couldn't say it.

"Matt, seriously, we need to be quiet. Haggar's out there. She'll find us if we're not quiet."

Matt.

Shiro had called her Matt.

Shiro thought he was back in that Galra prison. With Haggar and her torturing magic. With Matt.

"Okay, Shiro," she whispered. "Let's sit, though, okay? She might hear our footsteps."

Shiro nodded absently. "Right as usual, Matt." He smiled hazily at her and sat beside her. "We'll be all right. Just stay quiet."

Pidge nodded and wished so hard for her coms unit. This was no flashback or episode. She had seen a few of them to know what they looked like, and this was not it. Shiro was sick – from that bug bite, probably – and he needed help fast. She needed help fast.

-:-:-:-

Lance raced through the halls, gunning down sentries as they appeared at the end of the corridor and making sure Keith and Hunk never strayed into his line of fire. Heart hammering against his ribs, he burst into the control room where Shiro and Pidge had been.

Hunk was right beside him and blasted the two sentries to pieces, mechanical debris peppering the back wall.

But Shiro and Pidge weren't here.

While Keith took up position behind them to guard the door, Lance picked up the two helmets. "Where'd they go?"

Keith's eyes hardened but he said nothing. Instead, he whirled on the spot and cut down a sentry that had crept up behind him.

"We'll find them," Hunk said, reaching out for Keith's shoulder.

Lance's heart tugged sharply when Keith retreated and said, "I thought he was getting better."

Shiro. They had all thought he was getting better, too: not as many flashbacks, more able to stay in control more often; that he was suffering an episode with Pidge made them all the more anxious and driven to locate them.

However…

"We still have to continue the mission," said Lance. "Hunk, see if you can piggyback on what Pidge started. We need this info."

"Right." Hunk strode over to the console.

"Keith?" Lance met unguarded, violet eyes. "Let's go get 'em."

Determination solidified in that uncertain gaze, "Allura, release the Red and Yellow Lions. We're going to need a swift exit," and followed Lance out the door.

-:-:-:-

When Shiro began to list sideways, Pidge helped him lie down. She removed what she could of his armour when he trembled and sweated with fever, taking off the breastplate, arm guards, and gloves. In the dim lights of her own armour, Pidge spotted Shiro's bug-bite site: it was swollen and puffy, excreting a thick, white pus, and the veins up and down Shiro's neck were tinged a gruesome grey.

"Who'd've thought a bug could cause such trouble?" she whispered to him as his head lay in her lap. She carded her fingers through his sweat-soaked hair, her gloves off to the side, but her bayard within easy reach.

Shiro didn't appear to hear her because he moaned and twisted against his fever-dreams. "Matt?"

"Right here, Shiro."

"I can't hear Haggar anymore."

But she could still hear, over the blaring klaxons, the metallic clunk of sentries' feet up and down the hall outside the door, so she still whispered. "That's good. That's good, right?"

"No. She's biding her time. Freaky witch. She always bides her time, waits for the…opportune moment. Like last time. Remember last time, Matt?"

Her brother had faced Haggar? Pidge's heart clenched in her chest and a tear rolled down her cheek. "It's a little fuzzy," she managed to say.

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Still not all that clear for me either." There was a pause and then he twisted again, opening his eyes. That feverish gaze swept right over Pidge. "Matt?"

Pidge continued to card through Shiro's hair. "Right here. I'm right here."

-:-:-:-

Lance aimed and shot twice in half a second. "Clear! Go, Keith!" Keith surged up from behind him, his sword angled at his side as he ran for the door. With a yell, he kicked it down.

There, in the far corner, trembling and shaking, was Horgoti. "Please, spare me," he pleaded.

Keith snarled and brought his bayard to bear against the Galran's throat. "Lance," he bit out.

"Already on it." Lance was at the security panel, scanning through the holoscreens that depicted camera locations. "Got 'em! There! Right there!"

Keith looked over his shoulder at the shortened repeat of twenty-seven minutes ago of Shiro manhandling Pidge into a supply closet.

"It's in this wing, a few doors down!" Lance announced.

Keith kicked Horgoti hard, sending him to the floor in an unconscious heap. "Alert Hunk. We'll meet him back at our entrance point. If the Lions are there, tell him to board and prepare to cover us."

-:-:-:-

"We're gonna die here. You told me once that we would. I didn't want to believe you. But you're right. You're always right… Matt…?"

"Yeah, Shiro. I'm right here."

He twisted, grimacing. His eyelids fluttered over his glassy eyes. "M'sorry."

Pidge could hardly see for her tears. "For what?"

"For…everything… You don't deserve this…"

"Neither do you, Shiro! Nobody deserves this. But you're going to be okay, you hear me? You're going to be just fine."

He nodded absently, a moan sliding through his teeth.

"Please, Shiro. Just hold on. The guys are coming. They're coming. Just hold on."

He said nothing more, falling too deep into the fever-dream to speak. He shivered, his hair and skin slick, and Pidge let herself cry.

The klaxons abruptly died, leaving her ears ringing, but over the din that was the silence, Pidge heard footsteps.

"This one here!" a familiar voice rang out from the other side of the door.

In her lap, Shiro whimpered but didn't stir as someone slammed a sword through the welded door. The door slid open.

"Shiro? Pidge?"

A couple more tears squeezed out of her eyes as Keith poked his head in. "Keith," she rasped.

"Lance, they're here," Keith called over his shoulder even as he entered the closet. He was brought up short by the sight of Shiro lying in Pidge's lap, half his body stripped of armour. "What happened?" He was beside them within the second, touching Shiro's forehead.

"The bug bite," Pidge replied. "He's been hallucinating."

Keith paled and spoke rapidly into his coms: "Coran, get a pod prepped. Shiro's sick."

Pidge heard the gentle hum that was Coran's response, and then Lance was in the closet also, winkling his way into the tight confines. "Pidge, are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "He didn't hurt me."

Both boys nodded and Keith climbed to his feet, helping Pidge wiggle out from under Shiro and stand. Pidge stuck close to the far wall, trying to give them as much space as possible to get Shiro upright.

Keith and Lance took Shiro up between them, but as they did, he came around, blinking open glassy eyes. "No," he groaned.

"Easy, Shiro. We're helping you. Just let us take your weight," said Keith.

"Don't… Can't leave him…"

The two traded looks while Pidge did her best to remain small and unseen.

"Who, Shiro?"

 _Please, please, please, don't say it,_ Pidge begged.

"Matt. Gotta…gotta save him."

Keith and Lance went bug-eyed and stared at Pidge who drifted slowly forward.

"I'm right here, Shiro," she whispered, tears burning in her eyes. "We're getting out. Don't you worry."

Shiro whined but nodded limply. "If you tell me not to…then I won't."

"I'm telling you. Besides, I'm always right."

"Yeah… I know."

-:-:-:-

Pidge rode in the Red Lion with Keith and Shiro, while Lance rode with Hunk in Yellow. Shiro had panicked when she'd gone more than five feet from him, so Pidge stayed, biting back more tears as she told him that they would be safe, that Haggar wouldn't hurt them again, all the while listening to Shiro moan and whimper her brother's name…

She stayed with Shiro, quietly murmuring assurances while stripping off her muddy armour, until he was in a cryo pod in the castle's med bay. Only after did she wheel around and push past everyone, her body rebelling, and barely made it to the bathroom to throw up. Horror purged her stomach. Horror at what she'd done. Matt… She'd pretended to be Matt. She heaved again, tears pouring down her face.

She didn't know why she felt so bad. After all, it had been for Shiro.

A hand gently touched her back while another tucked her hair out of her face. "Pidge? Do you need a pod?"

She had to finish throwing up before she could reply. Her entire body trembled but she forced out the single word: "No."

"Are you sure? This could be another swamp bug…"

"It isn't." She straightened, about ninety-percent-sure that she was done now, and flushed the toilet. Hunk stepped back and she rinsed her mouth out at the sink. She was still shaking, and she wasn't at all sure that it was because of her vomiting.

Shock. It was probably shock.

"You should sit down," Hunk encouraged, gently guiding her out of the bathroom.

She let him, but there was a small audience outside the door. Keith and Lance hovered nearby. They rushed over when she and Hunk appeared.

"Pidge…" Lance began, but Hunk held up a hand.

"She's going to sit down in the common. You can join us there." Hunk tugged on her shoulder, but Pidge didn't budge. There was something she had to say, something awful…

She could feel the pleading in her face as she looked her three teammates in the eyes. More tears fell and she wanted to throw up all over again. "You can't tell him. Promise me you won't tell him."

It was Keith who spoke. "We promise," he said, and Lance and Hunk nodded solemnly.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	25. Chapter 25: Switched Part I

**Special Thanks** to **carinims01** , **Gravtron1** , **Guest** , **kellinc** , **SpiritFighter208** , **sbayless44** , **ForTheLuvOfPidge** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **Alkirian** , **Guest** , **wierdsquirrelgirl** , **SmolBirdy5** , **BHMSZero** , **Guest** , **cookieswithmilktea** , **The Master Unicorn** , **Crystalwolfey** , **CrazyRedmanelion** , **KnightOwl247** , **LucidKren** (all of your reviews!), **FanGirlOfEveryone** , **Rookblonkorules** , **ChthonicUnvraveling** , **Triscribe** , **HylianLoth-Kat** , **FireIceFox** , **Emma** (all of your reviews!), **rainbowrider1290** , **GUEST** , **Kinzichi** , **TeenTitansFanForever02** , **Pidgefingergun** , **the zesty lemon** , **Fir3danc3r** , **just fan things** , and **WyldClaw** (all of your reviews and the community addition!). Thank you so much! You're all wonderful! *hugs*

 **Author's Note:** So this next arc is one I've had in my head for a long while now (almost a year, but I was waiting for a decent point in the story to work it in, and even then, words were hard). I honestly have no idea how long it's going to be. The dialogue in this arc is intense and involves multiple kinds, so here's how it's going to work:

"Voltron" is when a human or Altean is speaking.

 _"Voltron"_ is on the coms between humans and/or Alteans.

 _Voltron_ is thoughts or when a Lion is speaking to its paladin.

 _/Voltron/_ is between Lions. (Yes, actually. The Lions are gonna be talkin' in this one!)

And now, without further ado, Chapter 25!

 _Chapter 25: Switched Part I_

Their only warning was the long-range sensors and even then it left them barely enough time. The klaxons blared, lights flashed, and five paladins who had been enjoying a mid-afternoon snack in the kitchen raced for their Lions.

 _"Paladins!"_ Allura's voice came over the intercom. _"We have a massive Galra fleet heading our way."_

Pidge's heart hammered against her ribs. It had been a while since their last battle against the Galra, but she was ready. She had to be ready. Steeling herself against the sirens, she was grateful when she slid into Green's cockpit and took the controls. "Green Team standing by," she announced.

When everyone was ready, they soared out of their respective hangars in tandem, heading for the fleet.

 _"Hey, guys? What is that?"_ asked Lance.

Pidge was about to ask for specifics when she spotted it: a massive cannon unlike any she'd seen before was mounted to a massive vessel. "Wow. Check that out."

 _"Well, that doesn't look ominous at all,"_ Hunk said dryly. _"Anyone want to bet on if it vaporises its targets?"_

 _"Pass,"_ said Keith just as Shiro said, _"Come on, guys. Get it together. Let's form Voltron and take it out!"_

The single fighters came first in waves and Voltron cut through them as easily as if they batted away a fly. Then came the larger ships, ion cannons blazing. Voltron blocked and dodged without difficulty, taking them down one by one with blasters of their own.

 _"Guys, that cannon's locked onto us!"_ Keith shouted.

 _"Evasive manoeuvers!"_ commanded Shiro. _"Pidge, keep the shield up!"_

Pidge did and they soared out of the line of fire, blasting the second-last ship to bits.

 _"Form sword!"_

They did and Voltron landed on the ship to cut the cannon from its place, its barrel swinging towards them.

The cannon fired as it broke off its mount – a beam of brightest white – and Pidge felt inexplicable horror plunge through her whole body. Five voices screamed in her brain, she nearly passed out, and she distantly felt her Lion disengage from Voltron. They all did. All five Lions separated without their pilots' say-so.

 _Hold on, my Paladin!_

Pidge clutched weakly at the armrests and absently made a note to install safety harnesses, and then her world lit up in searing white. Something yanked at her, yanked at her heart or maybe her soul, tried to suck it out through her pores; but something else held her fast, cool and soft yet unfamiliar in its sheer ferocity and strength.

 _Nononononono! Mine!_

Pidge screamed when her soul got caught in the tug o' war, screamed louder when she felt herself fall apart, and she knew it was all over. This was death…

But then the somethings were gone. The light was gone, the pain was gone, and she panted in the wake of terror and agony. She was barely conscious, drifting through a hazy darkness. Voices wafted around her, muffled mumbles that made no sense and held no recognition for her.

"My Paladin?"

Except that one.

"My Paladin, please, you must wake up."

Pidge smiled to herself. _Green,_ she thought with fondness.

"Yes. Yes, it is Green. Green is here, my Paladin. Can my Paladin open her eyes, please?"

Something was wrong with her eyes. They didn't want to open. Pidge fumbled around in her body, trying to remember how to open her eyes. A short string of knowledge – why did it look like coding? – crossed her mind, and she took it, memorised it, and her eyes…lit up? That wasn't right. But it was because everything else came online as well: the artificial gravity, the life support systems, the console, and all of Pidge's…sensors?

 _Green,_ Pidge started very quietly, _what is happening?_

Pidge felt something shift inside her, something at the forefront of her mind, just behind her eyes. It was tiny and very much alive. "Green did not mean for this to happen," said Green.

 _What happened?_

"The cannon was made to absorb quintessence. It is for objects of great size, like planets. It aimed at Voltron, and Pride Voltron could not allow the deaths of its paladins, could not allow the death of the universe should Voltron cease. Pride Voltron separated to spare the whole, but Green and my Paladin were still in the way."

 _We got shot by the quintessence cannon?_

"Yes. Green tried to hold onto my Paladin's quintessence, but Green was not strong enough."

 _How are we alive?_

"Green could not keep my Paladin's quintessence in my Paladin's body, and…something went wrong."

While Green had been talking, Pidge had worked at the little creature sitting in her brain. Her mind was a complex and intricate processor, and she fought to get to the piece of information that would tell her exactly what this thing was and why it was here.

"My Paladin, use the sensors. Feel what is here. Sensors absorb and relay information to the cortex. Use the sensors."

Sensors. Right. Made sense.

Coding whirred past her and she selected what she wanted. It was a good thing she was so good at computers because this would have overwhelmed her, otherwise. The inside of the Green Lion came to her inner visual and her train of thought faltered at what she saw.

Was that…herself?

"No, my Paladin. It's Green."

Pidge was looking at her human body. It sat in the pilot's chair, arms wrapped around the knees. The mouth moved with Green's words.

Pidge felt something engage as fear and panic ripped through her systems.

"My Paladin, please calm down. Green does not want my Paladin to activate the weapon systems."

The weapon systems?! Pidge was the Green Lion! She was her Lion and Green was her! They had switched bodies!

A blip of warning preceded impact by a second: something bigger than she was landed on her, gripping her hard.

"My Paladin, please calm down," Green begged when Pidge roared and rolled away. "The other paladins are trying to assist us. They do not know what has happened. They think Green has malfunctioned. They are trying to help my Paladin. Let them help!"

If giant, metal, alien robots could weep, Pidge would have. She wanted to sob with terror and frustration. But when Yellow and Blue boxed her in, she let them because there was nothing else she could do.

 _"Pidge? Pidge, come in! Can you read me, Pidge?"_

The coms!

 _I'm here!_ Pidge answered. _We're okay, but Green and I switched bodies! Shiro, I have no idea how to be a Lion. You might have to tow me back to the castle. …Shiro?_

No answer. Her friends' voices had peaked with worry and fear for her. They were talking at Green, thinking she was Pidge. Could they…not hear her then?

She realised it a second later: no, they could not. No Lion could communicate with a different paladin.

 _Green! Green, please, answer the coms! Answer them, please!_

But her Lion was too afraid and so remained silent.

Then, suddenly, Pidge felt some kind of wall in her mind crumble, and someone entirely other spoke. _/Green Sister, why do you hide from us?/_

The voice was massive in its presence yet gentle, and Pidge instinctively knew this was the Black Lion. She trembled in her own mind, hesitant to reply to this great creature, and she suddenly understood why Green was having a hard time talking. Neither wanted to inform the others of what had happened. They were cut off from their usual circle. Neither knew how the others would react. Each was alone and it was beyond terrifying

A purr, deep and dark like a night sky. / _Green Sister…/_ Black began to say.

Pidge winced at the title that was full of trust and love, both of which she was undeserving from the Head of Voltron. / _Um,/_ she tried, and then words failed her completely.

She felt Black rumble to stop, felt all of those infallible systems falter, felt Shiro's panic because his Lion was acting strangely.

Then: / _Green's Paladin!?/_

There was a collective, wordless exclamation from Red, Blue and Yellow: / _!?/_

 _/How is this possible?_ / Black continued. Absently, both Lions acknowledged Shiro calling Allura for backup. Green had gone berserk and Black was stalling.

 _/Green saved me. I don't think it worked the way she wanted./_

 _/Clearly!_ / Another voice darted through Pidge's awareness, and while this one was not as large as Black's wide sky, it was pretty close. Blue, Pidge realised. No other Lion could remind her of a vast ocean and a gentle brook at the same time.

 _/Where is Green?/_ Red demanded, molten magma churning and ready to erupt.

 _/We switched bodies,/_ Pidge stammered. / _I'm her and she's me./_

Shock rippled through her…bond with them. Of course, all Lions were bonded to each other. Green had mentioned something about it. It was obviously not as spiritual as Pidge had thought. If it was, Green would still be able to talk with her Pride Sisters. The bond between the Lions had a distinct physical aspect that Pidge had acquired with her knew body – and Green had lost.

 _/Pride Voltron will figure this out in due time,/_ said Black. _/In the meantime, Green's Paladin, please check on Green._ _All the paladins have a visual, but who they think is Green's Paladin is not responding./_

 _/Right. Uh, sure. Got it./_

The presences peeled away from the forefront of her awareness, and Pidge felt them settle to the back. It was like someone moving out of her line of sight, but she could still tell they were nearby.

 _Green?_ she asked gently. _Green, the other Lions know what's happened. It's going to be okay. Green?_

She used her sensors to look inside herself. There was Green, still sitting in her chair. Visual screens had popped up all around her. Shiro, Lance, Keith, and Hunk spoke to her, prodding for a response, but Green continued to stare listlessly at her knees.

Pidge thought it strange that the Lions hadn't told their paladins what was up yet. Maybe they were giving her time to get through to Green before they said anything?

 _Green._ Pidge reached forward, reached for her, and, picturing herself as a cat, wrapped herself around her. _It's all right, Green. I'm here. I'm still here and you're still here and your Sisters know what's happened. They're worried about you and my team is worried about me._

"Green has never been alone before."

The short sentence startled everyone on visual.

 _"What do you mean? Green's right here. The Lions are right here."_ Everyone talked over each other, but Pidge understood. For the first time in her existence, Green was cut off mentally and physically from everything and everyone she'd ever known. Green sat in a mortal shell of skin and blood and bone, and was _terrified_.

Pidge squeezed tighter. _I am still here, Green. Your Sisters are in my head, and as long as you have me, you have them. They're right here. We're all right here._

Green didn't nod, but Pidge felt her sorrowful agreement, and tears slid down her cheeks. She lifted her eyes to Shiro's face on the screen and spoke at last. "Black's Paladin, Green has made a terrible mistake. My Paladin's quintessence now resides in the Green Lion, and Green's resides in my Paladin's fragile body. Please help us."

There was dead silence for perhaps five ticks and then four voices shouted over the coms: _"ALLURA!"_

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review! :)


	26. Chapter 26: Switched Part II

**Special Thanks** to **Disotterly conduct** , **SlightlyManicMonday** , **ejbird** , **the zesty lemon** , **SecretEnigma** , **bookmaniac849** , **DevilTito** , **Gravtron1** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **GalceonSnow** , **WolvesRock14** , **ChthonicUnraveling** , **Crazy Redmanelion** , **Alkirian** , **CrimsonNote** , **Triscribe** , **MachumaroTheMarshmallowDragon** , **feelzyfeelz** , **Kinzichi** , **PiLamdaOd** , **kelli n c** , **BHMSZero** , **erebororbust** , **Guest** , **Cielmatica** , **Guest** , **FanGirlOfEveryone** , **Hobbess8** , **ForTheLuvOfPidge** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Vorserkeien** , and **KG** (your review of Chapter 8). Thank you so much for your reviews! I spent a lot of time squeeing over your reactions!

 **Special Announcement:** **WolvesRock14** , you are my 700th review! Thank you so much! * Throws virtual confetti *

And thank you to all you read, follow and favourite! You guys make my day!

 **Author's Note:** Heads up that there's a ton of dialogue in this chapter, so just as a reminder:

"Voltron" is when a human or Altean is speaking.

 _"Voltron"_ is on the coms between humans and/or Alteans.

 _Voltron_ is thoughts or when a Lion is speaking to its paladin.

 _/Voltron/_ is between Lions.

The Black Lion might be a wee bit OOC in this chapter, but she calms down quickly enough. :)

 _Chapter 26: Switched Part II_

Pidge allowed Hunk to tow her to Green's hangar ( _Oh my gosh, it's my hangar now!_ she thought) and settle her in. Green was silent in the cockpit, her arms still wrapped around her knees, and Pidge's heart (did she even have one now?) ached for her.

 _It's going to be all right,_ Pidge assured her. _Don't worry._

Green sighed and loosened her grip on her knees. "Green cannot help it, my Paladin."

On the fringes of Pidge's sensors, she caught the cadence of racing footsteps: six pairs in all. She lowered herself to the floor and opened her maw in time for her friends to enter the hangar.

"Pidge, is that really you?" gaped Hunk.

Pidge growled, _Get your butts in here!_ and lashed her tail. Green still hadn't moved from the cockpit and her friends were taking their sweet time to get to her.

"Focus, guys!" Shiro chided. "We've got a Lion in a human body in there. There's no telling how she's going to react."

 _She's freaking terrified! How's that for reacting?_

"We've also got a human in a Lion's body _right there_ , and she doesn't look happy," Hunk observed.

 _I am not making my Lion walk out to you! You get in here now!_ The entire hangar rumbled with her snarl.

"My Paladin? My Paladin, please calm down. You're scaring them." Something soft, small and clammy stroked Pidge's inner panelling, but it wasn't where she thought it would be. It was by the ramp. Green had somehow gotten out of the chair and walked towards the exit. She wasn't standing, though. She sat against the wall, panting hard like she had just run a marathon.

Pidge settled down and Green continued to pet her with trembling fingers. Pidge could hear Green's tiny heart flutter – from exertion or fear or both?

"Pi- Green!" Shiro corrected himself, darting up the ramp and crouching beside her. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Green does not like this, Black's Paladin. Green wishes for Green's body proper. Give this one back to my Paladin, please."

"We'll figure it out. Don't you worry." He smiled at her. "Good job calming Pidge down."

"She does not say so, but she is deeply frightened. We both are deeply frightened, Black's Paladin."

"I know. This has got to be pretty weird for you. Can you stand?"

"Green did a moment ago, but walking on two legs is very strange and tiring."

"Is it all right if I carry you, then? We should get you to the infirmary so Coran can look at you."

"Green is not hurt."

"But we should still make sure. Ease your mind and Pidge's."

Green's mouth pulled down but she nodded. "Very well, Black's Paladin." She reached up and wrapped her arms around Shiro's neck as he slid his arms behind her back and under her knees.

"And up we go. There we are. No worries." He smiled at her and Green tried to smile back. It didn't work well. "Hunk, stay with Allura and run whatever diagnostics you can on Pidge. Make sure she's all right," he said before he left the hangar at a trot, following Coran.

 _Bye, Shiro,_ Pidge thought bitterly. At least Lance and Keith looked over their shoulders at her before they left.

"Pidge? Hey. You doing okay?" Hunk looked up at her – way, way up. This was actually kind of hilarious, if she wanted to find any sort of amusement in this situation. Usually, she was the one to look up.

Pidge sighed, which vocalised as a rumble, and lay down, her head on her paws.

He nodded jerkily and patted a single claw. "I'm sorry for scaring you earlier," he said. "I jumped you with Yellow," he explained.

Oh. It seemed like a lifetime ago that Pidge had accidentally activated the weapon system and Yellow had landed on her to keep her from hurting anybody.

"Don't worry, Pidge," Allura said. "We're going to do everything we can to fix this. You just sit tight for a bit. Ready, Hunk?"

"Yeah. Sure." He patted her claw again and then turned away to take the holo-tablet Allura offered. They got to work, saying nothing more, and Pidge wanted to cry. If only Lions could cry.

-:-:-:-

"Physically, there's nothing wrong with her," Coran said quietly. "She's reading normal for humans on all the scans I've run."

Shiro nodded and watched Lance lead Pi- _Green_ through a basic motor exercise. She was touching her fingers to her thumbs.

"That's it! You've got!" Lance praised.

"This is not so terrible, Blue's Paladin," Green said with a tiny smile.

Beside Shiro, Keith shifted, a simple rearrangement of his weight, and Green's eyes flicked to him, watching him for a moment before returning her attention to Lance.

"She notices everything," Keith muttered under his breath – no telling how good her hearing was.

"Wouldn't you?" Coran arched a brow. "She's a sentient machine created for the sole purpose of battle on a massive scale. She was _created_ to notice everything. Plus, she's the Green Lion. She's always been a stickler for details."

"Like Pidge," Shiro observed.

"How do you think she's doing?" asked Keith.

"I think she's putting on a brave face. This is completely new to her. We need to support her however we can."

Keith looked from Green to Shiro. "Are we talking about Pidge?"

"I was talking about both. But Green will be among us now. She'll have to sleep and eat and do all the things humans do that Lions don't. She'll need us to help her."

"Yeah… And Pidge?"

Shiro closed his eyes for a second, bracing himself for this new reality. Katie. They'd lost Katie. Not in the literal sense but enough that they were completely cut off from her. She had to be so scared, but what could they do? Anger and helplessness surged within him. "I don't know. I guess all we can do for her is…be there." He turned away, walking out the door.

Keith shadowed him. "Shiro?" he asked hesitantly.

Shiro slammed his right fist into the nearest wall, denting it a good four inches. "Why is it always her?" he spat. "Why can't I protect her when this crap happens? Why can't I do my job as the Black Paladin and protect my team?"

"Shiro. Shiro, calm down." Keith reached out with both hands and laid them on his arm.

Shiro knew full-well that if his hand activated, he would seriously hurt Keith. He tried to take deep breaths, tried to steady himself, but tears came instead, burning in his eyes as he tried to hold them back. "This should never have happened," he rasped.

"You're right. You're right. It never should have happened. But it did." Keith slowly pulled Shiro's hand away from the wall and kept hold of it so he wouldn't hit anything else. "It's all just bad luck and Pidge keeps getting the brunt of it."

Shiro buried his face in his free hand. "I should have done something." His words were barely audible in his own ears, but Keith had Galran hearing.

"What, Shiro?" Keith demanded. "What could you have done? What could any of us have done? From what Green said, that canon mixed up their _quintessence_ – how do we fight something like that? What could we do?"

"I…I don't know."

"Shiro, listen to me." Keith was begging now, a rarity in itself. "The Lions acted to save us. I know for a fact that I did not pilot my Lion out of the way. They did it. They did it to save us, but Pidge and Green still got caught and it's no one's fault, least of all yours. So don't you go blaming yourself for this, or I will let Pidge step on you when I tell her you're being an idiot."

Shiro sniffed wetly and looked over his hand at Keith. His eyes were over-bright with worry and fear, panic was in his hands as he gripped him, and his whole body trembled with the day's exhaustion. Shiro was not the only one who was at a loss. "All right," he whispered. "You're right. Thanks, Keith."

"I'd say 'anytime', but this better not happen again. Especially if it's not your fault." Keith glared at him for good measure and then glanced at the wall, sighing. "I am not going to be the one to tell Coran about that."

Shiro chuckled, a strained and weak sound. "I got it. Don't worry about it."

"Damn right, I won't."

The infirmary door swooshed open, revealing Lance with Green clinging tightly to his arm for support as she walked. "Hey," he greeted. "We're going to get something to eat. Want to come?"

Shiro duly noted that Green's eyes fell on first the fresh dent in the wall and then his Galra hand. "Sure," he made himself say.

Lance tugged Green forward. "C'mon, Green. Hunk's probably got a feast in the works."

"Yellow's Paladin is currently still with my Paladin in her hangar. He and Her Highness have yet to finish running diagnostics on my Paladin," Green said instantly.

Lance stammered, taken by surprise (as the rest of them were) that Green was aware of who was in Pidge's vicinity. "Okay. Well, I guess that means I'm cooking. I'm not that bad, you know. I'm not as good as Hunk, but I'm way better than Keith."

"I will thrash you in training," Keith bit out which only made Lance laugh.

"But I'll still be better than you in cooking." He winked at Green. "It's the little victories. I'll take 'em where I can get 'em."

Green stared at him for a moment, then said, "What does this action signify?" and she winked.

Lance stared back.

"Blue's Paladin?"

"Oh! Sorry. Your question just surprised me."

"Apologies."

"No, no. It's fine. No need to apologise. This," he winked again, "is called a wink. I winked at you. In this case, it means I'm sharing a joke with you."

"Oh." Green looked down. "Does it not also mean trust? It's a sign of trust, right?" She looked up through her lashes and there was a familiar gleam of mischief in her eyes.

A slow smile was spreading across Lance's face and Shiro had no idea why until he said, "Pidge watches movies in the hangar with you, doesn't she?"

Green nodded slowly and Shiro stumbled to a halt, recalling a very similar scene in a very specific movie. "You've seen _I, Robot_?"

A smile tugged at her mouth. "Green enjoys it," she said. "Green asks to watch it with my Paladin every once in a while. My Paladin always says yes."

"That's awesome!" Lance crowed. "But, yeah, Green. You're right. A wink means trust, too. It means a lot of things. It's based a lot on context, though. A wink can mean something different, even if it's done by the same person."

"Green understands. Thank you, Blue's Paladin."

"No problem."

They entered the kitchen, Lance setting Green on a stool by the island so she could watch. Shiro sat with her while Lance ordered Keith to grab ingredients and utensils.

Shiro watched Green, her eyes following the boys around the kitchen. It was strange, looking at Pidge's familiar face and knowing someone else was looking back out.

With no warning, she turned to him. "Green is sorry, Black's Paladin," she said.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Green. You don't have to apologise."

"Then Black's Paladin should not shoulder the blame," she retorted. "Green knows why the wall was dented. Green knows and understands."

"Ah," Shiro said lamely. "Right. Uh, thanks."

She sat back on her stool, regarding him with Pidge's whiskey-coloured eyes. Looking into them, Shiro knew that gaze had changed. Never before had he seen fathomless wisdom in those eyes, or such empathy. "Black's Paladin wants to know what happened today," she said.

He nodded. "But tell us over dinner. You shouldn't have to relive it so many times," he said.

Green blinked and nodded. "Thank you, Black's Paladin."

-:-:-:-

Lance had never felt more ashamed. He missed Pidge with all his heart, worried about her, and wondered how in space they were going to fix this. But at the same time, Green was very much a toddler who was figuring out her body (Lance had barely gotten her to a toilet in time for her to pee, and that was only because he had noticed her squirming uncomfortably), and Lance knew how to take care of toddlers. His nieces and nephews were at the forefront of his mind as he helped her grasp a fork, drink from a cup, and know when she was full – all for the first time. He remained lighthearted and patient, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun. (Green even laughed (more of a quiet giggle, but still!) when he made a joke over the milk.)

And he had never felt more ashamed for it.

He knew Shiro, Keith and Coran watched him, and when Hunk and Allura joined them, so did they. But he knew he was the only one with experience for this, and so he did it. Someone had to, so it might as well be him.

When they had eaten their fill, Green quieted and glanced at Shiro who nodded kindly at her. Twisting her hands into her jacket (yes, Lance had helped her get out of the paladin armour and into more comfortable clothes, too), she started talking. "Black's Paladin asked for Green to share what happened today."

The table instantly fell silent, Allura and Coran's muted chatter dying. All eyes fell on Green.

"Pride Voltron did not know what the cannon could do until it fired," she began. "As soon as it did, we knew. We felt its intent, felt its energy, and knew our Paladins were in mortal danger, as was Voltron. The cannon was an absorber of quintessence." Allura and Coran gasped and Green nodded. "Pride Voltron forced Voltron to separate, but Green could not get away quickly enough. We did not receive the full force of the blast – it would have destroyed us both – but it glanced off Green's head."

She stopped for a moment, rubbing a spot on her temple, and Lance's heart squeezed as she visibly steeled herself. "My Paladin was dying. The cannon was made to absorb quintessence from planets and my Paladin is very small and not Lion strong. My Paladin's quintessence was being drained from her, so Green used Green's own quintessence to anchor her – Green did this by discharging a great portion of Green's own quintessence. Our quintessence merged, but Green was so focussed on keeping my Paladin alive that Green made a mistake and the wrong quintessence was returned to the wrong body."

All Lance could do was stare. They had come so close, far too close, to losing Pidge forever, and he was sure her screams over the coms when that beam had struck would haunt him for the rest of his life. Green had _saved_ her when no one else could have. But at a terrible cost.

"My Paladin was able to wake up and properly online the systems that would sustain us. Though frightened, she also successfully made contact with Pride Voltron."

"Wait, what? What did you say?" Hunk demanded, his eyes wide.

Green blinked, confused by his intensity. "My Paladin has bonded with the other Lions, the same way Green was once bonded to them."

"Then…she can talk to them?"

"Yes."

"And you…can't?"

Something slipped behind those eyes, revealing more than loneliness: a soul-deep wound. "No. Green cannot. The bond exists on a physical plane beyond what the paladins – what any mortals – can know. In order to bond, a Lion must be a Lion, not a Lion in a mortal frame."

 _Green has never been alone before._

The words were a knife to Lance's gut. She really was alone. The only one in her head now was Pidge, and Lance knew that Pidge, wonderful though she was, was not an adequate replacement for four Pride Sisters.

"The rest is known," Green finished. Then she turned to Allura, glancing at Hunk, as well. "How is my Paladin?"

"We had to manually online a couple of secondary systems," Allura replied softly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "She is quiet, but the Lions are never overly vocal."

Green was silent for a moment, and Lance could only guess what was going on behind those familiar eyes. "Mortals require sleep. I will sleep with my Paladin tonight." Turning to Lance, she said, "Thank you for the meal, Blue's Paladin." With that, she slid off her chair and walked away. Her steps were still unsure, her balance off, but she didn't hesitate in rounding the corner as she went wherever she was going.

"I'm going to, uh, make sure she doesn't fall down," Lance said, and he pushed back his chair and hurried after her. He caught up to her halfway down the hall. "Hey, Green! Wait up!"

"Blue's Paladin, do you need something?"

"What are you doing?"

"I am going to my Paladin's hangar to sleep."

"Okay. Good plan. Solid. But do you have blankets and pillows and the stuff you'll need to sleep?"

"Mortals require these things?" Her brows lifted at the question; she was genuinely curious.

"Well, technically no, but it'll be more comfortable, not to mention warmer." At her puzzled frown, he added, "You don't want Pidge to get tired by running the heating system all night, do you?"

"No" was the instant reply.

"Great. Pidge's room is this way. I'll help you carry the stuff." He traipsed off and smiled to himself when Green followed at a half-hurried walk.

-:-:-:-

Pidge didn't hear Green and Lance approach so much as felt them, and Green was most apparent, her presence pressing closer and closer with each step. Pidge sat up and could have sighed with relief when she stepped foot in her hangar. As it was, she reached out and wrapped her mind around Green like an attention-starved cat. _Hello,_ she said.

Green smiled up at her. "Hello, my Paladin. I am sleeping with you tonight."

Ah. That explained Lance's armfuls of blankets and pillows. Green had a single pillow in her arms, but it looked like that was the extent of her strength's capacity and balance at the moment. Pidge briefly wondered how her Lion would fare on the training deck against Keith and promptly rejected the image.

 _It will be good to have company,_ she said instead, purring. _Hey, Lance,_ she added.

"My Paladin greets you, Blue's Paladin."

Lance's smile was concerned and tight as he said, "Hey, Pidgeykins. We missed you at supper."

Pidge purred and crouched, shuffling as close as she could to gently touch Lance and his full arms with her massive muzzle.

"My Paladin misses Team Voltron," Green said quietly.

"Right." Pidge distinctly heard Lance's heart stutter and smelled the salt in the tears that burned in his eyes, but in the next instant, he was wiping his face on a pillow and smiling. "Come on, Green. We've got work to do."

Pidge opened her maw to allow them inside and onlined her inner sensors so she could watch them.

"So. Where do you want to make your nest?"

Pidge felt Green's scrutiny as she looked about. Green pointed, "There," to the small space beneath the console and Pidge smiled inwardly.

"You sure?"

"Yes. Green will be comfortable sleeping there."

Lance didn't look like he believed her, but he still set the blankets down and helped her arrange them as she wanted. Once they were finished, he smiled at her. "Good night, Green," he said.

"Good night, Blue's Paladin," Green answered

Then he looked up at the ceiling. "Good night, Pidge."

Pidge's purr stuttered on the way out, but Lance understood, patted the pilot's chair, and left.

Green watched him go. "Blue Sister chose very well when she chose him," she commented. "Good night, my Paladin."

 _Good night, Green._

Pidge curled up on the floor and pulled her tail tight to her body. She offlined her eyes, but kept the support systems and most of the heating running. Green fell asleep almost instantly, slipping into a dreamless sleep.

Now what? What did Lions do between battles and patrols? What was there that she could do?

A warm voice like sunshine on open rock interrupted her reverie. _/Green's Paladin?/_

Oh. Idle chit-chat. This was going to be a very long night. What did they want with her anyway? What could she say to them?

 _/Green's Paladin?/_ Yellow asked again.

Pidge might as well answer. _/Yes?/_

 _/Is Green Sister asleep?/_

 _/Yes./_ She paused then added, _/She was out like a light. I guess today tired her out./_ They deserved to know how hard this was for Green.

 _/As it did us all, though Pride Voltron has no need for rest./_ Black's voice was a night's cool breeze through her mind as she spoke, and Pidge automatically flinched away.

In the quiet of the castle, out of danger and the lingering adrenaline of battle, and without today's earlier shocking revelation to occupy their attention, the Lions noticed.

 _/Green's Paladin, why do you shy away?/_ The question was calm but did not adequately disguise the hurt and astonishment; the Lions were too closely bonded to hide everything.

The question was also a formality, a polite way to offer Pidge the option of coming clean on her own. When she retreated further, pulling her mind away as best she could, the Lions tossed politeness aside and swarmed through her processor and soul, annihilating any thought of privacy. Pidge could feel their intentions as they dug around in her heart and fished out her emotions and insecurities: concern, worry and fear wafted around them. They worried for her because she was one of them now. (Except she wasn't, really.) They wanted to know why she was afraid of them.

They announced their findings one by one to each other.

 _/Green's Paladin believes she is unworthy to speak with Pride Voltron because she is mortal,/_ said Yellow in dismay.

 _/Green's Paladin believes today's events are her fault,/_ said Red, anger heating her voice.

 _/Green's Paladin believes she cannot be a Lion and serve Voltron,/_ said Blue sorrowfully.

 _/Green's Paladin believes Pride Voltron will harm her for losing Green Sister,/_ said Black, except she didn't say it so much as snarl it. Pure rage – a gaping void – emanated from her, cowering Pidge mentally and physically. Pidge pressed herself to the floor and whimpered, suddenly grateful that they were in separate hangars.

 _/Black Sister!/_ A wall of water and fire slammed between Black's wrath and Pidge. Blue's presence expanded like flood waters and reared high like a tsunami. Coupled with Red's inescapable heat and unstoppable lava flow, they bore down on Black, filling the void with themselves.

Pidge suddenly felt the cool weight of freshly-turned earth. _/Patience, Green's Paladin,/_ Yellow encouraged. _/This is just a little family spat. It'll be over soon./_

 _/Right,/_ Pidge squeaked. She fought to keep from physically trembling; she didn't want Green to wake up.

 _/You forget yourself, Sister,/_ Blue said, her voice the bone-crushing and –chilling depths of the sea. _/Is your guilt so great that you would allow it to blind you into doing what Green's Paladin fears from us?/_

 _/Green's Paladin fears us!/_ Black roared.

 _/And you're giving her a fantastic reason why she shouldn't!/_ Red shot back. _/Calm yourself, Sister. This is unbecoming behaviour for the Head of Voltron./_

It took a while, but Black calmed eventually. The void closed, the rage dissipated, and Black was once more a gentle night sky. _/Forgive me, Sisters,/_ she said, shame seeping through.

Blue cleared her throat, which Pidge found unexpectedly hilarious because the Lions had nothing biological in their components (ergo, no throats that needed clearing). It was a distinctly human mannerism, and one she had no doubt picked up from Lance.

But the hilarity died when Pidge felt Black's attention on her. _/Forgive Black, Green's Paladin. Black did not mean to scare you./_

There was a gentle touch, like a cat's paw, on her soul and Pidge allowed Black to press against her. _/I'm sorry,/_ Pidge whispered, and oh, she wanted to cry so hard. _/I didn't mean to. I'm sorry./_

 _/Do not be. Black is sorry. Black should never have allowed this to happen. Black should have kept Green and Green's Paladin safe./_

 _/It...It wasn't your fault,/_ Pidge murmured. _/It just...happened./_

 _/Still, Black should not have allowed guilt to blind reason. Black should not have lashed out at Green's Paladin. Black is sorry./_

Pidge wanted to say more, apologise some more, but Yellow cut her off gently.

 _/Hush,/_ she soothed. _/Think no more of it. All is well./_

 _/But it's not!/_ Pidge couldn't keep it contained anymore, no matter what the Lions said. _/I shouldn't be here! I shouldn't be like this! I don't know the first thing about being a Lion and what if we have to form Voltron? What if I can't protect Green? And she's so small and weak now! What if –?/_

 _/Hush./_ Black said it this time and used her presence to press Pidge down, a mother's hand on her child's head. _/This is why Pride Voltron came tonight. We meant to instruct Green's Paladin. We are sorry we got sidetracked./_

 _/Instruct me?/_ Pidge echoed.

 _/Yes,/_ Blue confirmed. _/Green's Paladin worries about being a good Lion and forming Voltron. We are here to teach Green's Paladin./_

 _/Oh./_ Pidge burned with embarrassment and the Lions chuckled gently.

 _/Green's Paladin,/_ Red addressed her quietly, yet her voice was firm and commanding – Voltron's right hand. _/Pride Voltron reminds you that your fear of us is moot. Even were this entirely your fault, Pride Voltron could never, ever harm our Sister's heart. Green chose you, and so we protect you, as we protect the other Paladins. Pride Voltron may scold and rebuke for wrongdoings, but never will we raise a weapon of any kind against you. Green Paladin understands this, yes?/_

 _/Yes,/_ Pidge breathed.

Blue purred at her. _/Then we understand each other,/_ she said, _/and we can begin the lesson./_

First and foremost was going through all of Pidge's systems. Yellow explained much of what was what and how it all worked while Red encouraged her to test different components (that wouldn't wake anyone up or destroy anything). Pidge had successfully raised and lowered her particle barrier twice when she heard a tiny whimper.

The Lions immediately noticed her diverted attention. _/What is it, Green's Paladin?/_ asked Black.

Pidge did not wait for the sound again. Instead, she threw extra strength into her sensors, feeling what was around her. She found the source immediately: Green twisted and squirmed in her nest beneath the console. Her eyes were still closed, but her heart was pounding and sweat poured from her.

Pidge shifted away from the Lions and nudged at Green's mind. Flashes of colours and emotions ripped through her cortex, and Pidge winced at the memory. _Green. Wake up, Green._

Green awoke with a scream that ripped through Pidge's soul and down the Lion Bond, setting Black, Red, Blue and Yellow on their feet. They barely held back from roaring.

 _/What's happening?/_ all four demanded.

 _It's all right, Green,_ Pidge soothed. _/It was a nightmare,/_ she told the Lions before returning to Green. _It was just a nightmare. It can't hurt you._

Green sat up, looking around wildly. "It happened," she whimpered. "It really happened." She collapsed into her blankets and cried. "What is wrong with Green? Green is leaking!"

 _You're crying, Green. It's a perfectly normal, human response to stressful and scary situations. It's okay to cry._

"Green is getting the blankets wet!"

 _Just keep going. It's all right. Crying is good for you._

"But Green feels so awful! How can leaking be good?"

That was actually a really good question. Luckily, Hunk had mentioned something about it in passing. _It's chemical balancing,_ she explained. _Emotions have chemical makeups that affect humans on a physical level. When you cry, it flushes out all the bad chemicals. Or something like that. You'll have to talk to Hunk. He'll explain it better._

Green's weeping gradually subsided and she hugged herself, huddling in her blankets. "Green does not feel better, my Paladin."

 _That's because you're still stressed and scared. It's going to take a while._

"Green does not want it to take a while. Green wants my Paladin back in her body. Green is frightened for my Paladin."

 _I know._ Pidge purred at her. _But it's okay. I've got your Sisters in my head. They're teaching me about being a Lion. Lance was teaching you about being human, right?_

Green sniffed and nodded. "Yes. Blue's Paladin taught Green how to hold a fork and use the toilet and know when the stomach is full."

 _That's good. That's very good. Any plans for tomorrow?_

"Blue's Paladin did not say, but Green is hoping for lots to do."

 _You should ask him. Ask him over breakfast. He'll be thrilled to show you stuff._

Green thought for a moment. "That is a good idea," she said. She paused then asked, "How is my Paladin?"

 _I'm okay._ Which was true enough at the moment. She smiled when Green yawned. _You should go back to sleep._

"Green doesn't want to. Green doesn't want to hear my Paladin screaming."

Oh.

 _How about this then: I'll watch over you and if your heartrate starts to increase, I'll wake you up. Okay?_

"Okay." She lay back down and snuggled under the blankets, pulling them tight around her as if they could offer her another layer of protection from bad dreams. "Thank you, my Paladin."

Pidge purred in response and waited for Green's heart and breathing to slow before she turned her attention once more to the Lions.

 _/How is she?/_ Black's voice trembled, and if Pidge didn't know that Lions couldn't cry, she would have sworn the Lion's voice was teary.

 _/She had a nightmare,/_ Pidge replied. _/I didn't catch it all, but it was definitely about today./_ About her. Green had dreamed of Pidge screaming beneath the quintessence-absorbing beam.

 _/It is strange that Green is now subject to a mortal's fragility,/_ Yellow said fretfully.

 _/A lot of it is physical. The body remembers things, even if the brain sometimes forgets - or wants to forget. Stuff like what happened today…/_ Pidge trailed off, uncertain, but then rallied. _/I wonder if it will stay with her forever./_

 _/Green almost lost her heart,/_ Blue said gently. _/Such an event is burned into our very beings./_

Pidge perked up at that. _/Our?/_ she queried.

 _/Our,/_ Black confirmed. _/Lions are connected. What one feels, all can feel. Pride Voltron was terrified because Green was terrified for that which is most precious to her./_ She purred, deep and low. _/Green's Paladin is precious to Green and therefore to Pride Voltron. Today, we feared greatly for our Green Paladin./_

How in the great expanse of space could Pidge have ever been afraid of the Lions? They loved each other and loved their pilots. Didn't Keith once say that the Lions referred to them as their hearts? Blue said it just now, so did Red a moment ago. The paladins were the Lions' hearts. They belonged to each other, were a part of each other, and Pidge was ashamed of her fear.

It was Red who purred at her, thrusting her gentle flames into Pidge's mind. _/Green Paladin was wary and cautious. That is to be expected. Green Paladin knows and trusts Green but did not know and trust other Lions./_

 _/Silly mortal,/_ Yellow teased.

Red continued, _/Green Paladin did not know that Pride Voltron loves all paladins. Each is precious. Each is loved./_

 _/Green Paladin is precious and loved by Pride Voltron,/_ said Blue.

Pidge wanted to cry again, but she had to settle with a nod and shaky purr, and said, _/Thank you./_

 _/Come,/_ said Black. _/Let us resume the lesson./_

Pidge kept a sensor or six trained on Green for the rest of the night, and whether it was because Green knew that Pidge would watch over her or because she was just that exhausted, Green didn't have another nightmare or wake up until her stomach rumbled for breakfast.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review!


	27. Chapter 27: Switched Part III

**Special Thanks** to **Gravtron1** , **bookmaniac849** , **BHMSZero** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **katiewinchester87** , **WolvesRock14** , **Icy Icee** , **feelzyfeelz** , **Triscribe** , **CrazyRedmanelion** , **October heart** , **Eeveecat1248** , **TeenTitansFanForever02** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Hobbess8** , **Selena Snow** , **KnightOwl247** (both of your reviews!), **GriffonSpade** , **cookieswithmilktea** , **SmolBirdy5** , **ForTheLuvOfPidge** , **Alkirian** , **SpiritFighter208** , **carinims01** , **Kinzichi** , **the zesty lemon** , **ThatOneGuyInGrey** , **Thunder** , **marmoreal** , **FanGirlOfEveryone** (both of your reviews!), **PacificaPines** , **PiLamdaOd** , **Domfan** , **janesu** , **Chmia** , and **bigtimedreamer101** , thank you for your reviews!

Welcome to all new readers, favouriters and followers!

 _Chapter 27: Switched Part III_

Green awoke when something in her body gurgled. She sat up slowly. Was it injury? No, nothing hurt. Was she ill? She didn't feel wrong, but what did she know about the human-mortal body? She'd never been…organic before.

 _Green?_ Her Paladin's voice drifted through her mind, quiet and concerned. _Your heart is speeding up. What's wrong?_

"Green doesn't know," she replied. "The body is making noises."

Her Paladin was silent for a moment, doubtlessly using her sensors, and Green was unprepared for her sudden chuckle.

"My Paladin?"

 _It's your stomach, Green. You're hungry. It makes noise when it needs filling._ Humour filtered through her voice.

"Oh." Green's face heated and she panicked. "Green's face is on fire!" she squeaked, patting her cheeks but not finding any flames.

 _Calm down! You're blushing. You're feeling embarrassed, so your face gets red and warm. It's normal!_

Green lowered her hands. "...Mortals are ridiculous!" she grumbled.

 _Go eat something,_ her Paladin ordered gently. _You'll feel better after._

"Food does that?"

 _It can._

"Ridiculous," Green muttered again and her Paladin laughed outright, her body shaking with her audible purr. Green smiled at being able to make her Paladin laugh, and petted the panelling before descending the ramp and exiting the hangar.

She stopped just outside the door and looked left and right. Nothing looked familiar. _Which way?_ she thought.

 _Left,_ her Paladin supplied.

Her Paladin guided her through the labyrinth that was the castle and Green looked at everything. It was all so little because she was used to being so large, and yet it was all so big because she was now so little. Somewhere, Green knew the universe was laughing at the irony. There was an abundance of halls and rooms behind closed doors that begged to be explored, and Green promised herself that she would see the Bridge today. She would ask Blue's Paladin to take her – or her Paladin could lead the way.

 _Whatever you want, Green,_ her Paladin said indulgently. Green knew her Paladin was enjoying watching Green learn about her world which was very different from that of the Lions. She was glad her Paladin was not as frightened as she had been yesterday.

Something that was not hunger clenched her stomach, and she froze.

 _Green? You've stopped. What's the matter?_

"Green has a strange feeling." She folded her arms around her stomach and waited for her Paladin's diagnosis. She could feel her, fumbling about in her mind as she tried to pinpoint what was happening.

 _Aw, Green. You're nervous. Don't be._

"Green does not know why Green is nervous," she began, but her Paladin interrupted her gently.

 _How do you think I felt facing the Lions after what happened yesterday? I was scared, Green. I was scared of them, of what they would think of me – the weak human who got their Sister cut off from them._

"My Paladin feared retribution." Green's eyes widened and her stomach churned harshly as what she knew was horror plunged through her. It was such an outrageous thought, but Green could not fault her Paladin for it because she knew her Paladin too well, and she was feeling something very similar. Despite the kindness from the Paladins, Her Highness and the Support Commander yesterday, Green, too, wondered if they harboured any ill-will towards her. Mortals were sneaky creatures after all.

 _Yes._ Shame wound through her at her Paladin's admission. _But the Lions made it very clear that my fears were ill-founded. I found out last night just how much they love us._ Wonder filled them both as her Paladin unleashed the memory of complete and pure love.

 _Yes._ Green wiped her eyes. _Pride Voltron loves our Paladins. We cannot help but love you because you are ours and we are yours._

 _The others are going to be like the Lions,_ her Paladin said. _They are going to miss me, but they will love and accept you because they can do nothing less._

Green smiled at that and continued down the hall to the kitchen.

Yellow's Paladin was already there. He stood at a counter, stirring something in a bowl and…

 _Oh, my gosh! Is Hunk crying!?_

He was. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks and he sniffed, but made no move to wipe away his tears. He didn't notice Green standing in the doorway.

 _Green,_ her Paladin begged.

Neither of them knew what she wanted from Green, but Green couldn't stand idly by while Yellow's Paladin cried. Her Sister's heart was in pain.

Leaving the doorway, Green drew close. She opened her mouth and then promptly closed it because 'Yellow's Paladin' did not seem appropriate in this situation. She knew the Paladins had names; however, all Lions ignored them in favour of the highest title they could offer: Paladin. But now, with her Paladin aching in her heart and brain, Green knew it was inadequate. And yet, she did not want to be rude.

The title came to her a tick later and she spoke, stepping closer. "Yellow's Hunk," she said, "why are you crying?"

He hadn't noticed her approach and startled, jerking his arms and knocking the bowl off the counter. Green caught it in both hands (grateful that her Paladin's reflexes were intact) and set it back up, looking expectantly at him.

"G-Green! Good morning." Yellow's Hunk wiped his face hurriedly. "Sorry about almost dumping breakfast on you. Nice catch." He smiled but it wobbled and his eyes were still red and puffy.

Green met his eyes squarely. "Yellow's Hunk, must Green ask again?" she said, quiet and kind.

He sniffed harder and turned his body to lean against the counter. "Just…couldn't really sleep last night."

"Nightmares?"

"Yeah… Wait. How'd you know?"

Green held his gaze and said, "Green had one, too." She nodded when his eyes widened. "Green's first. It was…frightening."

"Dang. I'm sorry. You okay?"

"Green is fine. My Paladin is a constant presence that soothes Green's fears and nervousness."

The question surprised him, his eyebrows shooting towards his orange bandana. "Pidge is in your head?" he asked.

"Of course, just like all Lions are present in each's Paladin's heart. My Paladin is more…vocal, however. She feels the need to be of help when all she can do is sit in the hangar." She smiled and added proudly, "My Paladin guided Green to the kitchen."

"Oh. Wow. That's… I mean… Does Pidge, uh, see what you see?"

 _He's subtly asking if I saw him cry,_ her Paladin supplied.

Green immediately knew (though she had no idea how) that it was best to not answer the subtle question directly. "If she chooses to," she said. "My Paladin worries greatly for Team Voltron. She misses her Team Brothers."

Yellow's Hunk's eyes got wet again. "Yeah. I miss her, too. My nightmare was about her, you know. I don't think she knows, but…we all heard her screaming before the coms shorted out."

Green held very still, her heart pounding in her chest. _My Paladin knows now,_ she thought distantly while her Paladin's soul writhed in her mind.

He continued, eyes downcast. "It was a scary few minutes of thinking she was…gone. The Green Lion was just drifting in space, completely offline. I could feel Yellow panicking, and everyone else tried to hail you, but I just sat there. I couldn't do anything. I was so afraid…"

Tears slipped down his cheeks once more and he buried his face in his hands. "I'm sorry," he moaned through his fingers.

 _My Paladin, what should Green do?_ Green pleaded.

Her Paladin was torn for a while, uncertainty and heartache weaving through them both. At last she said, _Brace yourself. You're going to try something new. Step close. Closer. Good. Now, put your arms around his waist. You won't be able to reach all the way around 'cause your arms are short. Go on._

Green did, slowly and hesitantly, and Yellow's Hunk stiffened. "Green?"

"My Paladin instructed Green to do this. Green is unsure what this is."

"It's a hug," was the reply. "It's –" sniff – "it's a human thing. Humans comfort each other like this."

"Oh. Then…this is…all right?"

Gentle arms – strong and large and so gentle – came down around her, then, and Green went wide-eyed at the sudden surge of _Yellow Sister_ that flowed through her.

"It's just fine," he said.

Green smiled and burrowed her face in his shirt. "Green can feel Yellow Sister when you hug Green," she whispered.

That made him pause for a tick or two. "Really? What does she feel like to you?" he asked.

"Like warm sunshine on bare rocks, like an immovable mountain and an unstoppable avalanche, and fresh earth after a rain. Yellow Sister channels her strength through you, and Green can feel it. Green can feel it." Tears tracked down her face and got Yellow's Hunk's shirt wet, but he didn't push her away. If anything, he held her closer and stroked her hair. It felt wonderful.

It felt like Yellow.

Green could have stood there forever, wrapped in her Sister's love, but her stomach rumbled again and Yellow's Hunk laughed.

"I heard that," he chuckled, releasing her and holding her at arm's length. "Hungry, are we?"

Green smiled up at him. "Very."

He laughed again, Green nearly purred at the sound, and he gave her a hand up onto a stool. "Breakfast will be ready soon, then," he promised, turning back to the counter and the neglected bowl.

The other Paladins, Her Highness, and Support Commander wandered into the dining room over the next half-varga. Green smiled at Blue's Lance when he entered as she set the table, although her smile quickly faded, her eyes finding the dark circles under his eyes and the pale skin. She set the last plate on the table and sighed.

"It appears no one slept well last night," she observed aloud.

Black's Shiro, nursing a cup of milk, winced. "Yesterday was hard on all of us," he said. "How's Pidge?"

"Well enough. My Paladin was instructed by Pride Voltron during the night. She is learning how to be a Lion, as Green is learning how to be a mortal."

"What's there to know about being a Lion?" Blue's Lance asked, honestly curious. "I thought we did most of the piloting?"

"And you do, Blue's Lance." She smiled when he blinked at the title. "But there's more to simply responding to controls. It's important for my Paladin to understand all of her systems so that she can respond accordingly. Should Voltron be needed right this moment, my Paladin would be unable to do it. She is not a simple program that runs. She is a complex and living creature. She must learn when to make her own decisions and when to allow for her will to be guided."

"You mean that if we ever tried to form Voltron and you thought it was a bad idea, you could…prevent it?" Red's Keith was sharp-eyed, if pale, as he sat down.

"What do you think happened yesterday, Red's Keith? It was not the Paladins who separated Voltron. It was Pride Voltron, and we did it to save you."

"Yesterday would have been very different if you hadn't." Black's Shiro didn't say it as a question, but Green nodded.

"Yes. Voltron would have perished, and the universe would have fallen. That Voltron escaped with only this as the consequence," she gestured to her body, "is…miraculous."

"Yeah." Blue's Lance grinned and threw an arm around Green's shoulders. "Our little miracle."

"Green is not sure Blue's Lance understood –"

"I understood plenty. Now, enough chit-chat. Time to eat. This looks great, Hunk," he added.

Hunk beamed (showing no sign of his earlier heartbreak, Green noted), "Thanks, man!" and plucked a fruit from a bowl halfway across the table. "Dig in, everyone!"

Sometime later, Green was full but didn't want to leave the table just yet. She wanted to ask Blue's Lance if he could show her around the Bridge. But then Her Highness cleared her throat, garnering everyone's attention.

"Coran and I talked last night," she began, "about what we could do to remedy this situation, and he suggested the Chrii."

"The who-what now?" Yellow's Hunk frowned.

"The Chrii," said Blue's Lance. "We rescued a bunch of them off that mining moon several months ago, remember?"

Yellow's Hunk looked thoughtful for a moment and then swallowed thickly. "You don't mean that time when Pidge dragged my unconscious body out of a bombed building, do you?"

Blue's Lance reddened sheepishly. "Oh. Right. I, uh, guess you wouldn't've remembered it, then."

Green canted her head to one side. "The Chrii are renowned for their hereditary abilities. Such abilities span across a great many fields and capacities, from healing and mind-reading to element-manipulation. Support Commander, you believe the Chrii might possess a gift to reverse Green's mistake?"

"That is the basic idea, yes," Support Commander said, twirling his moustache. "We don't have the technology to switch you back and neither does the Empire. The cannon was meant to _absorb_ quintessence, not mix it up. We don't dare steal the technology and switch you back that way."

"It could kill us both," Green said with a nod.

"I sent a message last night, they know we're coming, and I've inputted the coordinates, so we'll make the jump soon," said Her Highness, standing. "At the very least, Japra will be a good place to lie low for a while. We can rest and restock our supplies." She made to walk away, but Green piped up

"May Green accompany Your Highness to the Bridge?" Green asked.

Her Highness smiled and said, "Of course. But might I suggest you clean up first?"

Green looked down at herself. "But Green is not dirty."

"You're wearing the same clothes you slept in – sorry about that, by the way," said Blue's Lance.

"Why don't I take you to Pidge's room and then we'll go to the Bridge?" Her Highness suggested.

"Oh," said Green "…All right."

Green copied Her Highness when she picked up her dishes and put them in the sink in the kitchen. She nodded when Her Highness told her that Red's Keith would do the dishes, and followed her out the door.

"Here we are!" Her Highness swept into her Paladin's room and flung the closet doors open. "Pidge has made use of the synthesiser to make her own clothes. I can show you how to use it, if you'd like?"

Green didn't hear her, eyeing the full closet of her Paladin's clothes, all some of her favourite outfits from Earth, her home. Now that the horror of yesterday was no longer in the forefront of her brain, Green could take her time in her selection. Her eyes fell on a familiar-looking box with a green ribbon tied loosely over it to keep the flaps closed.

Her Paladin perked up. _I haven't worn any of it,_ she said quietly, confessing. But there was no wrong here. Her Paladin had plenty of clothes, but Green didn't want to wear them because she was not her Paladin. She was Green.

Her Highness noticed her preoccupation. "Oh," she said with a smile. "I don't think Pidge will mind."

"She does not." Green pulled the box out into the open and undid the ribbon. Unfolding the flaps, her eyes were met with the sight of green and gold with ivory lacings. She smiled as she picked up the garment and laid it carefully down beside her, returning to the box's contents. Tunics and leggings of every colour greeted her. With a little help from Her Highness, Green had selected dark blue leggings and a green tunic with some pretty stitching (Her Highness called it embroidery) in a pale blue.

"Here." Her Highness waved her over to the bathroom. "I'll teach you how to shower and brush your hair."

After several minutes of coaching and encouragement, Green was refreshed, dressed, and ready to face the day. "Mortals have strange inclinations towards appearances," she observed as she followed Her Highness out of her Paladin's room and down the hall towards the Bridge.

"It's important to be clean," was the reply. "It's healthy, and clothes help portray what we are and what we aim to do."

"Her Highness refers to Altean political power plays while dressed for the role."

"Exactly. Humans are different, though. Humans rely on clothing as a statement of who, rather than what, they are. The paladins dress themselves how they like, regardless of the role."

Green was silent for a moment, listening to her Paladin's confident agreement. "Human-mortals are bizarre," she said at last. Her Paladin laughed.

So did Her Highness. "I agree with you wholeheartedly!"

They arrived on the Bridge to find everyone else already there. The Paladins sat at their stations, one seat left glaringly empty.

"You may sit at Pidge's station while we make the jump," Her Highness said, gesturing.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Green crossed the floor, enjoying the way her freshly-brushed hair bounced around her head, and sat down.

"Hey, Green?" Blue's Lance asked from his station across the way.

"Yes?"

"Why aren't you wearing Pidge's clothes? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"My Paladin doesn't mind, but Green understands that Green is not my Paladin, though Green resides in her body. Green did not want to add further heartache to the situation by imitating my Paladin."

"Good call," Red's Keith said quietly.

"Yeah," Yellow's Hunk added. "Thanks, Green."

Green nodded back, smiling, and, while Her Highness and Support Commander began preparations for the jump, she looked over her Paladin's console. The holoscreen was up, coordinates and information about Japra already blinking at her.

She took a moment to examine her hand, picturing in her mind how the appendages – fingers – flew across the screen and keyboard. Lifting a finger, she tapped the rotating planet icon and smiled at the zoomed-in image of the planet.

 _It looks like home,_ her Paladin murmured in her head.

Green had only her Paladin's memories of Earth, but she did have to agree that Japra looked like Earth: the familiar colours of blue, green, some white and a bit of brown winked at her; and Japra had a moon. Well, actually there were thirteen moons, but Green basked in her Paladin's gentle wave of nostalgia.

"Generating wormhole now," announced Her Highness.

"Hang onto something, Green. It's a little bumpy the first time," said Blue's Lance.

Green clung to the armrests on her chair when the castle-ship lurched forward. Turbulence shook the walls and Green clenched harder. _Green does not like this. Green does not like this,_ she thought.

 _Open your eyes, Green! You don't want to miss it!_ her Paladin urged. _  
_

Green obeyed hesitantly but then she nearly jumped out of her chair because… _colours_. It was like entering a galaxy that had been condensed into a tunnel. Blues, purples, pinks, reds and yellows smeared together in a dancing, swirling myriad streaked with white. She felt weightless and enlightened, omniscient, if such a thing were possible. Entering that galaxy-tunnel was nothing short of empowering and awing.

And then it was over and they came out the other side to see Japra in all its Earth-like glory rearing up in front of them.

"Welcome to Japra, everyone," Her Highness said.

-:-:-:-

They landed the castle in a massive meadow with trees on every side and a welcoming committee that drew close as they disembarked.

"Welcome to Japra!"

Green blinked from her spot behind Blue's Lance and Black's Shiro. Two of the ten Chrii in front of her were familiar, reminding her of Charu'p.

Her Paladin had a more recent memory. _Cheychi!_ she exclaimed. _Shola!_

Tall and long-bodied with yellow-tan skin and two pairs of pink eyes, the Chrii all bowed with a long-fingered hand over their hearts. The Chrii in front, a woman in a shin-length robe with a low collar and short sleeves with peculiar embroidery, took one step closer.

"Greetings, Princess of Altea. Greetings, Paladins of Voltron. I am Sharya, Matron of this sector." She gestured behind her. "I understand you have already met Cheychi and Shola."

"Yes," Her Highness said warmly, inclining her head as they did. "It is a pleasure to see you again and under such better circumstances."

They smiled at Her Highness, though their eyes flicked to Green. "The pleasure is ours," Cheychi said. "We are grateful for Voltron returning us home."

"What prompts a visit from you, Princess?" Matron Sharya asked. "We have the supplies you asked for, but correct me if I'm wrong that you have another motive?"

The question was open and curious, no ill-will meant, and Her Highness sighed. "There is another reason for visiting you. The Paladins had a misadventure with some Galran technology. It very nearly killed the Green Paladin, but the Green Lion saved her. However, there was a slight mix-up."

Here, she waved a hand, urging Green to come up beside her. Blue's Lance and Black's Shiro fell back to her sides, staying in step with her as she walked forward. "May I introduce the Green Lion of Voltron?"

Green bowed, one hand over her heart, and said, "Greetings, Descendants of my Former-Paladin. It is an honour. My Paladin remembers Cheychi and Shola. She is happy you are well."

Silence.

The wind blew through the grass, some creatures called to each other just inside the treeline, but no one spoke.

Then: "Oh, dear," said Matron Sharya.

-:-:-:-

They were led into the trees which stretched taller than most hills Green knew her Paladin had seen. Green couldn't help but look back at the castle, her Sisters feeling further away than ever before, until it had disappeared from view.

The forest was alive with sights, sounds and smells. Small homes had been built among the branches, rope bridges and narrow platforms and walkways connecting the little community. Matron Sharya led them past these, taking them deeper and deeper into the forest. Sunlight struggled to filter through the thickening canopy and winged critters fluttered through the dim light. Green followed quietly, her heart racing in her chest, and she knew she was afraid. She was not afraid of this planet with its mountainous trees and darkness, for she was the Green Lion and her Paladin was the Guardian Spirit of Forest. She was not afraid of the Chrii, her beloved Former-Paladin fresh in her scarred heart. No, she was afraid of what this venture would bring. Besides the fact that no one was even sure if a Chrii existed with the abilities to remedy this mix-up, Matron Sharya's reaction reverberated through her mind, more than half horrified by the predicament Green and her Paladin were now in. Cheychi and Shola, too, were silent, and their wordlessness did not comfort Green. Green had hoped they could be friends, but that didn't look possible now as they actively avoided looking at her.

 _It'll be okay,_ her Paladin murmured, trying to be hopeful. _One way or another._

One way or another. Right.

A horn call from up ahead made Green jump, and Blue's Lance's hand came down on her shoulder. "Easy, Green," he soothed. "It's all right."

Black's Shiro glanced over his shoulder at her and nodded, seconding the statement. Green tried to be brave and smile back, but she only succeeded in curling her shoulders inward. She had never been more aware of her Paladin's fragile body than now.

"Ho, the Matron!" someone called. "The Matron's party has returned!"

From far above, hails of welcome rained down, along with the Chrii who used ropes and even the trees themselves to swing down onto the path.

A stately-looking fellow landed in front of them and bowed. "Welcome home, Honoured Matron. These are our guests?"

Matron Sharya smiled. "Yes, Chama. Is everything ready?"

"Of course, Matron."

Matron Sharya turned to them, her prim smile faltering as her eyes landed on Green. "Come," she said. "You will sit as honoured guests at my table."

Her Highness smiled. "Thank you, Matron," she said graciously.

With that, Matron Sharya led the way to a wide and open staircase set into a large tree. Up, up, up they went, Green laboriously putting one foot in front of the other. Platforms dotted the height of the tree, perfect spots for a lookout or a rest. They passed them all, climbing higher and higher, until at last they stopped.

"Take a breather," Matron Sharya encouraged with a sweep of her hand. "Water?"

"Please," said Black's Shiro, and smooth, wooden cups were passed around, full to the brim. A pitcher was supplied for refills.

Green drank her fill, her hands trembling from exertion. Red's Keith asked the question Green was sure they were all thinking: "How much farther?"

"We're about halfway" was the beaming reply. "We will get there in time for supper."

Green despaired. She just hoped she made it to the top without collapsing.

When it came time to carry on, Green found her legs seized up. Trying to stand brought tears of pain to her eyes.

 _Oh, no_ , her Paladin murmured. _You sat for too long._

Green understood in an instant: it was important to cool muscles down after a hard workout; otherwise, they cramped or stiffened up. It stood to reason why everyone else had stood or walked lazily around the platform, instead of sitting down immediately.

"Green?" Yellow's Hunk appeared at her side, looking down at her in concern. "We're ready to go…" He trailed off at the tears on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Green cannot stand," she whimpered. "It hurts."

He was crouched beside her in an instant, large fingers gently touching her stiff calves and thighs. "This is really not good. But it's okay," he said hurriedly. "Here, um. Why don't I carry you? Would you like me to carry you?"

Stalwart, brave and strong Yellow's Hunk. Of course he would make such an offer. Green had no doubt this climb was difficult for everyone, too, but she hurt. She hurt in a way that was new and frightening and embarrassing, so she nodded.

Yellow's Hunk smiled as he scooped her up and arranged her on his back so her arms hung around his neck, his hands hooked behind her knees. "Better?" he asked.

"Yes. Thank you, Yellow's Hunk."

"Let Pidge know we're even now."

"Even…?" Green began, but then realisation hit her hard. The last time they had met the Chrii, her Paladin had dragged Yellow's Hunk to safety. Now, it was Yellow's Hunk's turn to return the favour.

Her Paladin's presence flowed through Green, warm and happy, and she smiled, resting her head on the broad shoulder. "My Paladin knows and thanks you, Yellow's Hunk," she said.

He made a humming noise in his throat. "We'll take a look at you once we get to the top, okay?"

"Okay."

-:-:-:-

Green fell asleep, her breathing soft and rhythmic against Hunk's neck, before they even got off the platform and back onto the stairs.

"Is she okay?" Lance asked in a whisper, casting her a glance. "Man, she's out like a light."

"Hopefully she stays that way," replied Hunk. "And, no, she's not okay. Her legs have seized up from all the climbing."

"Geez!" Lance shook his head in sympathy.

"Hunk?" Shiro, Allura and Keith all drew near, their eyes worried.

"She'll be okay," Hunk assured them. "Just some tense muscles. She'll be okay."

Shiro and Keith looked dubious, but Allura nodded, taking his word as truth. "Very well," she said. "Let us continue."

The Chrii cast them curious looks, no doubt wondering why the great Green Voltron Lion needed to be carried, but Hunk shrugged them off and focussed on his feet.

The last stretch upwards wasn't as terrible; there were more platforms, and houses with lanterns hanging over the doors began to appear through the gloom. There were also more Chrii. People called out in welcome to their friends and matron who had returned home, as well as to the paladins and Allura. Children (though they were taller than Keith) ran up to them to touch their faces and shoulders in awe. Keith hung back beside Hunk who was ignored because he had a sleepy Lion on his back, but Lance lapped up the attention.

Lance poked back when he got poked, eliciting giggles from the young ones and smiles from the older ones. He whispered to them, though his voice carried through the trees, and he asked them their names, were they the youngest or oldest ("because you look like the oldest. You look very mature"), and if they wanted to play later. This last question always sparked happy agreement and races for home to tell their parents that they were going to _play with the Blue Paladin!_

Hunk watched Lance smile and chuckle with sorrow in his heart. Lance missed his family more than anything and he always sought solace in the locals they came across, especially the kids. Lance had told him once that they reminded him of his nieces, nephews and younger siblings. It was wonderful to watch, but it twisted Hunk's heart knowing that as much as Lance loved the kids they encountered, they wouldn't fill the void that was his home and family proper.

Green woke up before they reached the top, but remained on Hunk's back, quietly saying her legs still hurt. Hunk knew a couple hours of rest wouldn't be enough to ease the soreness. He'd see about getting some warm water and cloths as soon as they arrived - or maybe a healer. Chrii had healers, right?

They arrived minutes later to the largest platform Hunk had seen yet. It stretched across three trees, built in such a way that the branches and trunks passed through the floor. There were benches in intimate corners and gazebos with vines and flowers crawling over the roofs. High rails kept anyone from accidentally falling and were topped strategically with burning lanterns. And smack-dab in the middle, the three tree trunks rising out of the roof, was what Hunk could only describe as a hall straight out of Viking history. Large wooden pillars held up the roof along the walls and were intricately carved with flowers, trees and animals. Stone tables on either side of the giant wooden doors held clay basins of oil that burned with a heady fragrance, their flames dancing green and yellow and inviting all inside.

"Wow!"

Hunk grinned at Lance's breathless awe, but then he noticed Green had pushed herself upright, her hands braced on his shoulders, and now looked around with wide-eyed interest and curiosity. "Feeling better, Green?" he asked.

"A bit. Green can try walking."

"I wouldn't," said Hunk, tightening his grip a fraction. "Let's get you settled and check the damage before we cause more damage."

"Very well."

They followed the matron into the hall, through the massive dining area, and down a lengthy corridor.

"Rooms have been prepared," she said, "and an attendant is on standby for each of you. Supper will be ready shortly, so feel free to wash up and rest until then." She bowed to them and left, most of the Chrii who had accompanied them staying.

One of them, a female who towered over Hunk, came over and bowed. "I am Shola, Green Lion. I will assist you."

Still perched on Hunk's back, Green hesitated.

"Her legs cramped up," Hunk explained. "Is it all right if I take her to her room?"

"But of course. Yes. This way." Shola gestured and Hunk cast a glance at Shiro and Lance. Shiro nodded and followed his own Chrii attendant while Lance smiled.

"See you at supper!" he called as he was steered away.

"It appears that Cheychi will be your attendant, Yellow's Hunk," Green observed, nodding to the fellow who stood a few feet away. "We should not keep him from his duty. Lead on, Shola."

Hunk followed Shola into a little room that was brightened by the lantern hanging from the middle of the ceiling. The walls, floor and ceiling were all wood, but the rugs on the floor and the blankets on the bed were all colourful, and with the windows wide open, it was quite homey and welcoming. Hunk deposited Green on the soft bed and looked at her hard.

"You gonna be okay here?" he asked.

Green nodded without hesitation. "Green will see you at supper, Yellow's Hunk. Thank you for your help today." She smiled up at him and Hunk couldn't help but smile back.

He patted her shoulder, said, "You're welcome," and disappeared out the door.

-:-:-:-

Green was wide-eyed as she splashed the water again, though she was careful not to send the spray over the rim of her tub.

"Having fun, Green Lion?" Shola asked, smiling.

Green smiled back. It looked like they would be friends after all. "Yes. Her Highness helped Green shower this morning, but a bath is something new. It is wonderful." Green grinned and blew on some of the bubbles, watching them waft upward and then slowly drift back down onto her waiting (and wrinkly!) hands.

"Well, if you showered, then we probably don't need to wash your hair."

"Is it time to get out of the tub?" Green wondered, more than half-hoping the answer would be in the negative.

"Not quite yet. I sent for a healer so you can actually walk to supper." Shola sat down on a little stool beside her tub, a cloth in hand. She soaped it up and wiped it down Green's back, across her neck and over her shoulders.

"That feels wonderful," said Green. "Mortals are not as silly as I'd thought."

"We're all silly in our own ways," Shola answered. "Tell me, though. If you are here, where is Paladin Pidge?"

"She currently resides in the Green Lion," Green said. "The short story is that our quintessence was mixed up by a Galran weapon."

"Princess Allura said you saved Paladin Pidge," Shola probed.

"Yes. But at great cost. Her Highness hopes to find a Chrii who can reverse this."

"You think someone here can do that?" gasped Shola, the cloth freezing in place midway down Green's spine.

Green shrugged. "Green hopes, but doesn't know for certain. Support Commander hopes as well. It was he who suggested your people."

"Coran? Is he here?"

"Support Commander stayed with the castle to attend to its maintenance," replied Green.

A knock on the bathroom door preceded another Chrii Green and her Paladin recognised.

 _Shurr!_

"Matron Sharya explained what happened," Shurr said. "Greetings to you, Green Lion. Shola requested that I tend to you."

"Thank you, Shurr. My Paladin says hello. She is happy you're well."

Shurr smiled and took Shola's stool. "Thank you. Let's get to work, then, shall we?"

-:-:-:-

Supper was a raucous, communal affair, and with her legs no longer aching (thanks to Shurr's healing hands), Green was able to enjoy it. Six massive tables dominated the main room in the hall, each easily able to seat fifty adult Chrii. Matron Sharya met them at the head of the middle table. She sat with Her Highness and Black's Shiro on her immediate right and left. Shola sat Green down on Black's Shiro's free side with Yellow's Hunk on her right. Blue's Lance and Red's Keith were ushered into spots on Her Highness's left. To Green's surprise, Support Commander was there, situated between Her Highness and Red's Keith. Chrii hurried forward, laying full plates, platters and dishes on the table, offering water or juice from clay pitchers with intricate handles. Families, couples and circles of friends called to each other across tables over their meals. There wasn't a bit of quiet anywhere, but Green smiled through it all, basking in the life that flowed around her, and ate to her stomach's content.

After supper came songs with musical instruments and vocalists, and stories of the lost world of Chriishosha and life here on Japra. It was a treat for Her Highness and Support Commander, a learning opportunity to better understand what had happened after Altea's fall. For the paladins, it was a show – as intended – and they clapped and cheered enthusiastically when everyone had had a turn at song or tale.

Gradually, the hall emptied as Chrii headed to their homes and bed. Green stayed where she was, alert to the surreptitious glances between Matron Sharya and Her Highness. When all but their group was gone, Matron Sharya spoke.

"Princess Allura informed me that you seek among us someone who is gifted enough to reverse this situation," she said. "There is good news. Such a Chrii exists."

"Yes!" Blue's Lance pumped his fist, grinning.

Red's Keith crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. "There's bad news, isn't there?"

Matron Sharya nodded slowly. "Yes. The Chrii we're looking for is named Chara. He's a recluse. He wanders, never staying in one place. He believes his abilities frighten us, so he inflicts solitude upon himself as penance. He'll be difficult to find, but not impossible."

"Dang it," Blue's Lance grumbled.

"So…we're stuck here?" Black's Shiro asked, his eyes flicking to Green.

"You may take the time to rest and relax," Matron Sharya answered. "The solstice approaches, as does the berry festival. Both are highlights of the season and all are welcome."

Green touched Black's Shiro's arm gently. "Black's Shiro, this is progress. Let us view it as such. Team Voltron has the opportunity to rest and enjoy this planet, people and culture while our allies search for Chara. There is little else to do but wait."

Black's Shiro sighed. "All right," he said at last.

"I will dispatch scouts in the morning," Matron Sharya promised. "For now, I suggest bed for you all. A good night's rest will do you good."

Green stood up first, a hand over her heart. "Team Voltron thanks you, Matron Sharya. Green will retire now. Goodnight, my teammates. Goodnight, Your Highness and Support Commander."

There was a gentle chorus of "Goodnight, Green" and then she turned away, Shola falling into step behind her.

As Shola extinguished the lantern and Green snuggled under the blankets, her Paladin's presence strengthened, curling around her as tangibly as the covers. _Sleep, Green. It was a long day._

 _We have many more ahead it seems,_ Green replied. _We could be here a while._

 _That will just give you time to have some fun. Mortals do have fun, you know._

Green smiled at that. _Yes. Green is aware. Green remembers my Former-Paladin attending the solstice celebration. There is dancing. Green would like to try dancing._

Her Paladin laughed. _I have no idea if Chrii dancing differs from human dancing, but I hope you have fun anyway. Be careful, though. Lance will never let me hear the end of it if you break something._

 _Green will do the best Green can…but no promises,_ she added.

Her Paladin laughed again. _Goodnight, Green._ Anxiety crept into Green's mind and without saying anything, Green knew her Paladin would watch over her again tonight.

 _Goodnight, my Paladin._

With that, she fell asleep and dreamed of trees as tall as mountains.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	28. Chapter 28: Switched, Part IV

**Special Thanks** to **TooEasilyDistracted** , **Selena Snow** , **WolvesRock14** , **Guest** , **Eeveecat1248** , **BHMSZero** , **Green Giant Uranus** (it's wonderful to hear from you again!), **Alec Gateway** , **kelli n c** , **SecretEnigma** , **erebororbust** , **PacificaPines** , **Crazy Redmanelion** , **Bookdancer** , **Guest** , **Salem Andrea** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Kinzichi** , **bookmaniac849** , **Triscribe** , **marmoreal** (when you said 'angry purple guy', I thought, "Thanos isn't in this fic", but then I remembered which fandom I'm writing for and was like, "Ah. _That_ angry purple guy." It made me laugh! :D), **ForTheLuvOfPidge** , **FanGirlOfEveryone** , **Darkblaze15** , **Wings of Dawn** , **Alkirian** (you are the only person to have commented on that, and you nailed it. Thank you!), **DevilTito** , **Gravtron1** , **SmolBirdy5** , **The Dusk Terror** , **Midnight** (your review on Chapter 11), **Guest** (your review on Chapter 20), **ShrdingersCat** , **WyldClaw** (your reviews on Chapters 16 and 22), **Riku Courtier** , **EmmyCat** , and **Pillar43** , for your wonderful reviews!

Welcome to all new readers, favouriters and followers. It's a pleasure to have you here and I would love to hear from you. :)

 **Author's Note I:** After doing some mental planning, it looks like this arc might be six or seven parts long. I'm still working on it. :)

 **Author's Note II:** Now, I've been hearing that some hate's been running amuck in the wake of Season 7, especially on Tumblr and Twitter and such, and while I admit there were some things that I didn't agree with or was happy about, I'm not going to bash anything or flame anyone or send hate mail to our dear cast and creators who put so much heart and soul into something we as a fandom love. That being said, know that this is a safe space for you, as is my fandom Tumblr 153-centimeters-of-sass, if you want to chat. I do have one request: Please Private Message me if you want to talk about Season 7. Please don't take up my review count for any discussions. Thank you in advance! :D

And now for some story!

 _Chapter 28: Switched Part IV_

Green woke up with the planet's animals' morning calls. Bounding out of bed, she leaned out of her window to breathe in the fresh forest air. Something chittered nearby and was answered from farther away, and just visible through the canopy, the black sky was brightening to navy. Her palms itched strangely and she had the urge to climb up and see the sunrise fully. Her Paladin was a good climber, but Green had never climbed anything before. Except the stairs yesterday. And that hadn't gone so well.

"Green should get used to this body," she said out loud and bracing her hands on the sill, she levered herself out. She grinned to herself, even as her heart raced in her chest.

 _Green?_ her Paladin asked, no doubt concerned because of her heightened heartrate. _What are you doing?_

 _Climbing. Green wants to see the sunrise._

 _Climbing…? Like…climbing a tree? Do you need help?_

 _Maybe in a little while. Green can get to the roof easily._

And easy it was. There were lots of nooks and crannies for her small (to the Chrii) hands and feet, and she scaled the hall without mishap. She stood on the peaked roof, panting a little, but exhilarated.

 _There's a tree on your left,_ said her Paladin. _It's got lots of thick branches. It'll hold your weight. Remember: stay close to the trunk._

Green nodded and headed over to the tree passing through the roof, grabbing the first branch. Up and up she went, taking her time but still maintaining a decent pace, her Paladin voicing encouragement and advice. The navy was lightening, purple and pink now smearing the sky.

At last, Green poked her head through the treetops, brushed a few leaves from her hair, and lost her breath at the sight. The sun was rising, as were three of Japra's moons. Two more were overhead, pink in the dawn light, and one was behind her and setting, barely a sliver against the fiery sky.

 _Incredible!_ her Paladin breathed in awe.

Daylight painted the trees in orange-red, multiple shades of pink and yellow chasing the last violet wisps, and all around her, the wind danced and animals called gently.

"Green could stay up here forever," said Green.

She stayed until the sun had cleared the horizon and then she began the slow descent back to her room.

 _Uh, Green?_

 _What is it, my Paladin?_

 _The Lions are getting worried because the guys can't find you._

 _Green is almost there –_

"GREEN!"

The sharp shout startled her and her foot slipped off the hall's wall.

 _GREEN!_ her Paladin screamed as she fell…and landed in someone's arms.

Green blinked, surprised she wasn't injured, and met Black's Shiro's wild gaze. "Good morning, Black's Shiro," she chirped.

He set her on her feet, but stayed close. "Green," he said and his voice was strained. "What. Were. You. _Doing_?"

"Green went for a climb. The sunrise was beautiful. Is it breakfast time?"

"We couldn't find you anywhere! What were you thinking? You should have told someone!"

Why was he yelling at her? She hadn't done anything wrong. "No one was awake. Green didn't want to bother anyone," she replied defensively.

Now he was pacing. "That's no excuse! You fell, Green! You could have hurt yourself!" He flung the accusations at her and Green felt something hot stir in her chest.

"Green almost got hurt because you yelled, Black's Shiro," she said, trying not to sound angry. "You made Green slip."

He stopped in front of her, gesticulating wildly. "We were worried! What was I supposed to think when Shola couldn't find you?"

Green drew herself up to her full height and took the step that would bring her right into his personal space. She knew the personal space existed for just about everyone in the universe. Each person's space differed depending on a variety of factors, but she knew Black's Shiro's was a bit larger than most. She got right into it and said heatedly, "Green already knew our Paladins were worried because my Paladin had it from my Pride Sisters! Green was returning! Black's Shiro should trust Green to return!"

Her words and her nearness made him retreat a step. "It's not about trust," he said, low and intense.

"Then what is it about?" Green demanded.

He didn't answer her. His angry expression fell, revealing a scrunched brow and crinkled mouth. Green's frustration eased, concern taking its place.

"Black's Shiro," she said gently, stepping towards him again. He didn't move away, so she closed distance and laid a hand on his right arm. "Green did not mean to make you worry, Black's Shiro. Green is sorry."

Black's Shiro folded his hand on top of hers, patting it gently. "I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I yelled at you and made you fall. It's just…"

"Black's Shiro worried. But there is no cause for worry now. All is well." Green smiled up at him. "Green is hungry. Can we go to breakfast?"

He chuckled, still a little strained, but he nodded and turned with her towards the dining hall.

Green took her hand back and said, "Thank you for catching Green."

"Oh. Uh, you're welcome." There was a pause. Then, "So…you watched the sunrise, huh?"

"It was beautiful, Black's Shiro! We should all get up early tomorrow and watch it."

"You'd have to drag Lance from his bed to get him awake at that hour," Black's Shiro said with a grin.

Green thought about it for a moment then said, "Well, my Paladin did drag Yellow's Hunk once. Blue's Lance shouldn't be as much trouble. Though dragging him up a tree might prove problematic."

Black's Shiro was still laughing when they entered the hall and rounded everyone up for breakfast, reassuring them all that Green was safe and unharmed.

After breakfast and a chance to get dressed and freshened up (some of their things had been brought over last night), Green requested of Shola a tour. Blue's Lance with Yellow's Hunk and Red's Keith accompanied them, along with Cheychi. Black's Shiro wanted to speak with Her Highness, Support Commander and Matron Sharya about important things, but Green didn't want to discuss important things. She wanted to explore.

The hall was mostly made up of the dining room and kitchen, though guest rooms were scattered throughout. So instead of showing them what they already knew, Shola turned them outside.

"We live in a very communal environment," she explained as she showed them the platforms with houses above more platforms with houses in the massive trees that homed the hall. There was still plenty of space between the platform and the peak of the roof below it, but it reminded Green of the time her Paladin saw a series of birdhouses on a single pole: separate but united. Each house was unique, too: walls sported climbing vines with flowers of various sizes and colours, and doors were painted green, yellow, orange or red. There were flower boxes on window sills, little lanterns that swung over doorways, and designs artfully carved into shutters and all around the doorframes.

"We grow everything ourselves." Shola guided them through massive gardens with vegetables as big as Yellow's Hunk's torso and stalks of grains that were only half-grown but still stretched above their guide's head.

"What do you do about wood rot?" asked Blue's Lance, noticing that the raised beds were all made of wood.

"The Chrii who take care of the gardens have special abilities to prevent such occurrences," answered Cheychi.

"What would happen if no one had the ability?" Red's Keith wondered.

"That's impossible. Every Chrii is born with seeds of various powers, sometimes up to twenty different powers. These powers are carefully selected as children grow older and decide what they would like to do. They are nurtured through years of study and dedication." Cheychi swept out a hand, indicating the platform below them. There was a playground there with rope swings from the branches, balance beams, and climbing apparatuses. "Nearly everyone you see here is a healer, a farmer, and an element-channel, among other things, with varying degrees of strength."

"When my Paladin spoke with Shurr last time," said Green, "she said that her great-aunt could read minds at one hundred breep, but Shurr must maintain physical contact."

"Yes," said Shola. "The hereditary aspect of our gifts can oftentimes designate our capacities. No matter how hard Mammi studies, she must be touching the person whose mind she wants to see."

"That kinda sucks," Blue's Lance muttered.

Shola cracked a grim smile. "You'll notice I said 'oftentimes'," she said. "Often does not equate to always."

"Some gifts are innately powerful," Cheychi put in softly. "Chara, for example, is so afraid of what he can do that he prefers solitude over potentially hurting others."

"He could potentially hurt Pidge and Green?" Red's Keith asked sharply.

Green met Cheychi's gaze squarely when he looked at her. He lifted his shoulders. "It's possible," he said.

"We are all capable of dealing harm," Shola interrupted before Red's Keith could retort. "It is the way of things. Our choices define us in this regard."

"That is very true," said Green, looking away from Cheychi to survey the children laughing and playing below. Black's Former-Paladin ripped through her heart, as did his murderous deeds. Her Paladin's presence warmed her mind and soul, easing the ache. "Even those on the path of goodness can make the wrong choice," Green continued. "So has it been for time beyond measure and so will it continue to be until the universe and all life in it cease."

"Wow, Green. Cheerful much?" Blue's Lance quipped. "As fascinating as this is, can we go take a look at the playground? It looks like fun!"

"Playgrounds are for children, Paladin Lance," said Cheychi, a hint of humour twinkling in his pink eyes.

Blue's Lance waved a hand. "We're all under the age of majority," he said, "except Shiro and, well, probably Green because you're so old."

Green wrinkled her nose at him. "Thank you, Blue's Lance. If it is all the same, my Paladin wishes for a closer look. She is curious."

 _You can't keep using me as an excuse, you know,_ her Paladin informed her.

 _It is not like they will find out,_ Green retorted.

Shola laughed and took them down the stairs that led to the platform and playground. A few adults called greetings while the children shrieked and scrambled towards them. High voices of "Blue Paladin! Blue Paladin, come play with us!" echoed through the trees.

Blue's Lance laughed and, after some gentle tugging from the children, followed. Yellow's Hunk went after him, but Red's Keith hung back and Green watched him, wondering why he didn't join in with his teammates.

Shola glanced at him. "You do not wish to join in?"

Red's Keith shrugged. "Me and children don't get along much," he mumbled, but his eyes betrayed him as they darted over and over towards the playground. He wanted to play… Maybe he just didn't know how? Her Paladin had once told her that Red's Keith hadn't had much of a childhood. Whatever that meant, it was bad because not even Black Sister was privy to the details and Red Sister wasn't telling. But Green was willing to bet that Red's Keith had not had adequate interactions or many healthy relationships as a younger cub.

Green took a breath, steeled herself, and gently touched Red's Keith's elbow. "Red's Keith, perhaps we can play over there? There are not as many children now that their attention is occupied by Blue's Lance and Yellow's Hunk." She pointed to what her Paladin called a jungle gym. It had balance beams, suspended bars, and a couple of domes stacked invertedly on top of each other and made of ladders. Everything was painted in shades of blue, green, brown and yellow.

Red's Keith looked down at her and nodded after a moment's hesitation. "Okay," he said.

Green led the way and threw a cheerful, "Please excuse us!" over her shoulder at their guides. Green headed straight for the inverted domes.

 _Looks like an hourglass,_ her Paladin observed.

An hourglass made of bright blue and yellow ladders. There was a bright red flag at the pinnacle of the topmost dome and Green knew that the flag was the prize for reaching the top. Excitement roared through her and she half-turned to Red's Keith. "First one to the flag wins!" she told him and then took off in a sprint.

Red's Keith took a tick or two to react, but then he outran her. "Ha!" he ribbed as he passed her. "Short legs!"

Green doubled her efforts, but he was almost halfway up by the time she'd reached the domes.

 _My Paladin never told Green that Red's Keith could climb,_ Green accused playfully.

Her Paladin laughed. _I didn't know, either. He's good, though._

 _If Green weren't about to lose a race Green had instigated, Green might agree with my Paladin,_ she grumbled.

Her Paladin laughed harder. _Losing is part of life, Green Lion of Voltron. Welcome to being a mortal!_

Green was now three-quarters up, but Red's Keith had already reached the top, an arm wrapped lazily around the tall flagpole.

"I win!" he crowed, grinning.

Green almost slipped when she saw the smile because no one – not her, not her Paladin, not Black's Shiro – had ever seen him this happy in a long time. He was happy here. He was happy playing. He was also happy winning, but that was beside the point. Green had made Red's Keith smile.

She clambered up and sat next to him, panting a bit. "Green will never race you again, Red's Keith," she said between pants. He chuckled. "However," she continued, hit with inspiration, "considering that Green came into this body two days ago, Green is willing to bet that my Paladin would thrash you in a race."

"I'll take that bet!" both Red's Keith and her Paladin said. "Wagers?" added Red's Keith.

"Loser will clean the winner's Lion's cockpit and restock all supplies."

"You're on!"

They lapsed into silence, but Green didn't mind. Red's Keith's physical nearness was similar to her Pride Sisters' mental bond. Together, they watched Blue's Lance start a human game called 'tag' with the Chrii children. It was humorous to watch children that were almost taller than Blue's Lance, but no one seemed to notice the height difference. Green smiled at their fun as they moved on from tag to playing another game called 'grounders' and then one of the Chrii produced a ball of woven reeds.

They had lost track of time, but Green noticed when Her Highness and Chama arrived on the platform above theirs. Chama rang a clay bell, the sound carrying over the play and laughter, and surprising the others

"Paladins!" Her Highness called. "Come and have lunch!"

"Awww!" both Blue's Lance and Yellow's Hunk complained, while the children also voiced their protest.

Green laughed and began to climb down, Red's Keith following.

"I don't want you to go!" someone shouted. There was the sound of impact and then something whistled towards them.

"Keith, Green!" Blue's Lance shouted, and Green looked up in time to see a ball coming at them.

 _Wham!_

The ball smacked her right in the head. There was a dull thunk as her head slammed into the dome, and she knew no more.

-:-:-:-

 _Green!_

Keith almost fell at Red's shout. Her terror coursed through him, making him move faster than he ever had before. As Green fell, Keith snagged her wrist with one hand and held on.

He swayed, his vision greying with Red's continued panicked cries reverberating through his brain and heart. "Red," he begged out loud. "Red, please stop. Red…"

"Paladin Lance! Paladin Hunk! What's wrong?" Chrii were alarmed, rushing to Keith's teammates who had fallen to their knees, hands bracing themselves on the ground and barely able to hold their weight.

Allura raced down the stairs, Shola and Cheychi sprinting across the platform towards Keith.

"Let me take her, Paladin Keith!" Shola urged, reaching up.

Keith clung tighter to the dome's rung, shutting his eyes against the tilting world. All the while, Red continued to scream. _Green Sister, Green, Green!_ was a terrified mantra in his head.

"Let go, Keith," said Cheychi. "We will catch you both."

Keith bent his knees, eyes still closed, and lowered himself as much as possible to let Green slide down to Shola. Then he just…let go, and he slumped into Cheychi's waiting arms.

"Easy, easy," Cheychi soothed as a whine crawled out of Keith's mouth. "Let's get them to the infirmary."

"Shadara, Shu, follow us!" Shola called, and Keith guessed that someone had picked up Lance and Hunk.

Cheychi ran, the wind stroking Keith's cheeks. At the same time, Red stopped crying, and the relief was so sudden that Keith passed out.

-:-:-:-

The first thing Green became aware of was her Paladin humming quietly. As soon as her Paladin noticed that Green had noticed her, she stopped and said, _I'm glad you're awake, Green_ in so tender a tone that Green almost started crying.

 _Green is glad, too. What happened?_

 _You got hit with a ball, but the conservation of momentum is a jerk, so your head collided with the dome. You got knocked out…_ She trailed off, uneasy, and Green pressed.

 _Did anything else happen, my Paladin?_

Her Paladin hesitated then said, _Pride Voltron panicked._

Her Sisters…panicked? But then the full weight of realisation hit her. Of _course_ they had panicked. She was mortal now, fragile and delicate. Injury was a given, but she had never considered the ramifications of serious injury. She did now, though. Human mortality weighed on her like a tangible thing, bearing down on her weak body, permanent and finite.

 _And…Our Paladins?_ she asked.

 _They're all right. From what I could gather from the Lions, their panic incapacitated them. The Paladins dropped where they stood – except Keith. He caught you and held on until help came._

Green thought of Her Highness and Shola and Cheychi who had all been nearby. _Help came quickly._

 _Yes, it did._

 _Is it safe to get up?_

 _Probably. Take it slow, though. You definitely had a concussion, and I don't know how well Shurr is able to heal something like that. I'll let the Pride know you're awake._

While her Paladin did that, Green opened her eyes and slowly sat up. She was on a cot in an infirmary of sorts, probably in the main hall somewhere. She was also not alone. Four other cots were rumpled from use, but only two were occupied. Pushed together so they were side by side, Black's Shiro, Red's Keith, Blue's Lance and Yellow's Hunk sat on the two cots and talked quietly over what Green recognised as a deck of playing cards. Her Highness and Support Commander sat in chairs nearby, watching the game and their charges. Shola, Cheychi and two more Chrii whom Green recognised as Black's Shiro's and Red's Keith's attendants stood by the door.

It was Blue's Lance who noticed her first. "Green!" he said, brightening and abandoning the cards to slide off the cot. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

There were shadows in his eyes. Green saw them as he neared. His lopsided smile was tighter than usual, too.

"Green is fine," she assured him – them, as everyone else came over. "My Paladin informed Green of my Pride Sisters' gross error."

"Gross error?" Black's Shiro echoed. "What are you talking about?" He was trying to hide the truth, but Green was not ignorant.

"Pride Voltron reacted violently to Green's injury, and Team Voltron suffered immense emotional strain because of it."

"Oh," said Black's Shiro. "Right. That."

"Is there a reason why the Lions reacted so adversely to you being injured?" Her Highness asked.

"Green's vulnerable, Allura," Yellow's Hunk answered. "She's mortal. More than that, she's human! She's much more fragile than an Altean or a Lion. Of course the Lions freaked out. They didn't know how bad she was hurt."

"I'm just glad that the Castle is all locked up," said Support Commander. "The Lions cannot escape their hangars."

"Pride Voltron would not have physically endangered Our Paladins or innocent lives just because Green was injured," Green reprimanded him.

"That depends on who they view as innocent," Her Highness put in. "Your injury was the direct result of a Chrii child."

"Exactly. Pride Voltron is aware of what is meant maliciously and what is not. The child meant no harm."

"Well, that's good to know," Support Commander cut in before Her Highness could continue. "In any case, you missed lunch. Would you like to eat? Shurr said it was all right," he added.

Green nodded. "If Shurr says it is all right, then yes, Green would like something to eat, please."

"Let's go to the hall, then," said Her Highness, and she whirled away without another word.

Green sat for a moment, stunned by Her Highness's brusque manner. Did…did Green do something wrong? She didn't dare ask, not when everyone was still so tense and upset.

Green took her time standing and ensuring her balance. The Paladins all stood close by in case she fell, but it was unnecessary; she was well and able once more. She fell into step with Red's Keith on one side and Blue's Lance on her other, Yellow's Hunk bringing up the rear while Support Commander and Black's Shiro led the way.

"My Paladin says that Green has you to thank, Red's Keith, for catching Green," Green said quietly.

His whole face reddened from chin to ears. "Um. It was nothing," he mumbled.

"It was not nothing," Green continued. "It is likely Green's injury would have been more serious if you hadn't. Coupled with the strain of Red Sister's terror, it is a miracle you were able to stay conscious, let alone catch Green and hold on until help came." She smiled up at him, touching his elbow, while he remained silent. She knew of Red's Keith's aversion to touch, but after today, it seemed appropriate to breach his personal space to convey her deep gratitude.

Blue's Lance reached over and slung an arm over Red's Keith's shoulders. "Aw! Looks like we've got another little miracle on the team!" he cooed.

"Lay off, Lance," Red's Keith grumbled, shoving at his arm, but there was no real bite in his words.

Blue's Lance backed away anyway, grinning down at Green. "You know," he said to her, "I'm starting to think that it's not Pidge who's the trouble magnet. It's her body. Even when she's not in it, she just attracts all sorts of trouble."

Green blinked. "Green doesn't know what to say to that," she admitted at last.

"No one does," Yellow's Hunk piped up from behind, and Red's Keith snorted a laugh.

-:-:-:-

Everyone else had eaten before Green had awoken, but a couple of Chrii brought out cups and pitchers of juice, and a plate of light biscuits, along with Green's meal. Yellow's Hunk and Black's Shiro helped themselves while Her Highness sipped intently from her cup and avoided eye contact with Green.

Worry stirred Green's heart. Was Her Highness angry with her? What had she done wrong? Maybe it was because Green had gotten hurt – but that hadn't been her fault. She was a Lion of Voltron, though, a machine of war; she should have dodged or deflected it. But…she wasn't exactly familiar with everything her Paladin's body did or required, so she was still working on a few things. Did her inability warrant Her Highness's anger, though? Green wasn't sure, so she said nothing and ate what she could while worry gnawed on her stomach. When she couldn't eat another bite, she pushed her plate away.

"You okay, Green?" Yellow's Hunk asked between mouthfuls of biscuit. "You didn't eat much."

"Green is not hungry, Yellow's Hunk," Green replied quietly, eyes darting to Her Highness in case she got angry over her not eating, too. Her Highness didn't notice the exchange.

"Are you feeling all right?" Blue's Lance pressed. "You look pale."

Paleness was a typical symptom of illness. Was Green ill? She certainly didn't feel well.

"Green is fine."

Blue's Lance narrowed his eyes at her. "Any nausea? Pain?"

"Green is fine, Blue's Lance," Green repeated a little more firmly.

He blinked at her, surprised at her tone, then looked away. "Okay. If you say so."

Green sighed. Wonderful. Now she had upset Blue's Lance, too. On her other side, she spotted Red's Keith glancing between them and frowning.

Now that Blue's Lance had mentioned it, there was a building pain in her temples and across her forehead. Closing her eyes helped, so she lay her head on her arms on the tabletop.

 _Headache._ Her Paladin's voice, gentle and quiet though it was, sent a short stab of pain through Green's head. _Sorry,_ she said quickly, noting the pain.

 _Green thought Shurr healed Green?_

 _She healed as much of the damage as she could, I'm sure, but you're stressed. Stress headaches suck._

 _Yes. They do._ Green lifted her head and rubbed her forehead with her fingers. _And Green worries about Her Highness._

 _Her Paladin was confused. Allura? Why?_

 _She is angry with Green, and Green doesn't know why._

Her Paladin was quiet for a moment and then said, _You need a break. You should come back to the Castle. Sleep in your own bed._

 _Green hasn't slept in my Paladin's bed before,_ Green pointed out. She had slept with her Paladin that first night and in Japra's hall on the second. So much had happened over the almost-three days. It felt like months.

 _Oh. Well. It won't hurt to ask, and I'm sure everyone else could use a breather. Being polite to new people is exhausting._

 _Agreed,_ said Green.

 _The worst that can happen is that Allura will say no, and I honestly don't see her doing that. She looks tired._

Her Paladin was looking through Green's eyes. Her Highness did look strained around the eyes and mouth. Her forehead puckered as she sipped her juice.

"Your Highness?" Green ventured after a moment of gathering her courage.

"Yes?" Her Highness regarded her with a piercing stare over her cup's rim.

Green nearly gulped, but rallied. "Green wishes to return to the Castle of Lions for the night."

What idle chitchat there was at the table died instantly. Everyone stared at her.

"Oh?" Her Highness lifted elegant brows. "And why is that?"

Green didn't want to say it was because she was stressed and had a headache, but she did know what she could say to gain permission. She wasn't known for her cunning for nothing, after all. "Because when my Paladin was in her body proper, she visited Green constantly. Her work station was in Green's hangar and she would often climb on Green for exercise and bonding. Green misses my Paladin's proximity. Not to mention that my Paladin has been stuck in her hangar for almost three days now. She can do little else besides converse with Pride Voltron and Green."

 _Low hitter,_ her Paladin grumbled in amused accusation.

"That's a great idea!" Yellow's Hunk chimed in. "Pidge has got to be bored out of her skull. And we haven't seen her since the day before yesterday. We should totally go!"

"We can also gather a few extra things we left behind," Support Commander added.

Blue's Lance and Red's Keith both nodded, but Her Highness didn't look convinced. It was Black's Shiro who delivered the final stroke. "I don't know what kind of long-range sensors the Chrii have, but it would be a good idea to do a sweep of the system for any Galran activity. With the switch, Voltron is out of the question." He cast Green an apologetic look as he said it, then returned to Her Highness. "We need to be prepared so we're not taken by surprise."

Before Her Highness could say anything, Cheychi said, "It is true our people do not have any kind of long-range scanners. Many fear retribution from the Empire for giving you aid. Knowing that you watch out for us would put many minds at ease."

Green hid her smile when Her Highness's lined forehead smoothed and her eyes softened. "Very well," she said with a sigh. Then she turned her attention to Green. "When would you like to go?"

"As soon as possible, Your Highness."

Her Highness nodded. "All right. Cheychi, inform Matron Sharya that we will depart for our castle within the varga."

Cheychi bowed. "I will send escorts with you. The forest is massive and it wouldn't do if Voltron got lost."

"I'm not looking forward to all those stairs again," Yellow's Hunk muttered.

Shola grinned wide. "About that…" she began to say.

-:-:-:-

Green stumbled back from the edge of the platform. "Green is reminded yet again of human-mortal fragility," she said shakily. Glancing back at Shola, she said, "Green doesn't mind the stairs."

Shola laughed. "You were carried last time! Besides, this is easier and faster. Going over is the hardest part."

"Green doubts that." The ground was technically the hardest part.

"Come on, Green!" Yellow's Hunk encouraged from his spot on the platform's ledge. "You're a Lion of Voltron, the curious and daring Green Lion! You aren't afraid of anything!"

Green said nothing to that, eyeing the drop-off apprehensively. Her Highness, Support Commander, Black's Shiro and Red's Keith had already gone down, unperturbed by being suspended in a rope-and-wood swing and then lowered to the ground far below. Cheychi and his brother Churei were part of their escort and had gone first to show them how it was done and how safe it was. "If it can hold a Chrii, it can hold you," Churei had said before leaping off the platform in his harness/swing with a whoop.

Letting Green dither a while longer, Shola strode over to Yellow's Hunk. "Ready?" she asked.

Yellow's Hunk swallowed. "As ready as I'll ever be." He did look a little green around the edges, despite his encouragement.

"Excellent. Easy now. Just lean back and walk."

Green crept to the edge to watch again. It looked so easy. The ropes and pulleys were all secure. All Green had to do was get into a harness and walk backwards over the platform. But the ground yawned away from her every time she looked at it. She recalled the oak tree in her Paladin's front yard on Earth. The tree stood at fifty feet. This? This was like jumping off a cliff and it was much higher than fifty feet. It was at least five hundred.

"Hey, Green?" Blue's Lance's voice was right beside her and the hand on her arm kept her from jumping. "I know I asked this before, but…are you sure you're okay?"

The words tumbled out of Green's mouth before she could stop them. "Green has a headache, Green is worried that Green upset Her Highness because Green got hurt today, Green is sorry that Green snapped at you, Blue's Lance, because Green knows you are only trying to help and be kind, and Green really, really, really does not want to do this because this is not Green's body and Green doesn't want to hurt it."

Blue's Lance stared at her. "That's a lot," he said at last. "Don't worry about snapping, though. It's okay."

"It is not." Green met his eyes. "Green knows Blue's Lance's heart through Blue Sister. Green knows you yearn for home and family and no more war, and Green can't help with that, but Green can help by not snapping at you, Blue's Lance. You have been nothing but kind, and Green repaid you with snapping. That is not becoming behaviour for either a Lion or your friend."

Blue's Lance looked away, his entire face red. "Oh," he said quietly.

"Yes. So Green apologises for being a bad friend."

"You're not a bad friend." He met her gaze and smiled. "You're dealing with a lot of stuff, and sometimes we forget that."

"That doesn't excuse Green's behaviour."

"Well, then, I accept your apology."

"Thank you, Blue's Lance."

"And by the way, it's important that you tell us what's bothering you." He said it kindly, no judgement or irritation in his tone. "As cool as it would be, we can't read minds."

Green chuckled. "Green understands. Thank you, Blue's Lance."

He grinned and ruffled the hair on her head. "Any time. So. Ready to jump off a cliff?"

"No?"

A pause. "Pidge is waiting, you know."

And that sentence changed everything, morphed her fear into courage and sent it roaring through her frightened brain and fragile limbs. "Let's go!"

-:-:-:-

Knowing her Paladin waited was what kept Green from looking down and panicking at the height. Knowing her Paladin waited kept Green's pace through the forest stalwart and eager. Knowing her Paladin waited hustled everyone else because they missed her Paladin, too.

Green walked beside Blue's Lance through the forest, Churei having disappeared into the branches to scout ahead while Shola, Cheychi, and two others (who were introduced as Cho and Shil) formed a loose circle around them, staves and javelins in ready hands. She kept an eye on Her Highness who chatted with Support Commander and Shola about possibly moving the Castle closer to Matron Sharya's village.

The walk to the Castle took only a couple of vargas, and soon Green was once more back in the semi-familiar hallways.

"You are welcome to join Green in saying hello to my Paladin, Team Voltron," she said, addressing her invitation to all.

"Can we?" asked Yellow's Hunk. "I mean, we don't want to intrude or anything…"

Green smiled at him. "Not at all. My Paladin misses her teammates. She will be happier if you come."

"We will stand guard outside," Cheychi said, inclining his head to Her Highness. "We will alert you if danger approaches."

"Our thanks," said Her Highness. "Coran and I will go to the Bridge." Turning to the Paladins, she said, "Say 'hello' to Pidge for us."

"Sure thing," Black's Shiro replied. "Come on, guys. Let's go say hi."

Green allowed Black's Shiro to lead the way, but stayed a half-step back. They were halfway to her Paladin's hangar when the Castle shook with some kind of impact and everyone, except Green, shared fearful looks.

"What was that?" Blue's Lance asked.

"My Paladin can sense Green nearing," said Green. "She is excited."

"Maybe we should stop off at the other Lion hangars," Red's Keith observed. "If Pidge is this happy to see you, the other Lions are probably more so."

Knowing what awaited them in her Paladin's hangar, Green said dryly, "Green doubts that my Pride Sisters can be happier than my Paladin at the moment."

"How come?" Yellow's Hunk wondered, but then they had come to the hangar and Black's Shiro stepped back to allow Green to open the door, and everyone could see why.

Her Paladin bounced on her paws, her tail sweeping back and forth. _Green!_ she exclaimed when the door opened. _You're here!_ Then she noticed Green's company and shrieked with glee. _GUYS!_

Green winced, but smiled and said, "My Paladin is happy to see you, Team Voltron."

"You think?" Yellow's Hunk exhaled in half-humour, half-fear. "She's like an oversized puppy."

Her Paladin rumbled and crouched, being so gentle as she nosed Green. Green stroked her massive muzzle, eliciting happy noises.

"Green missed you, my Paladin," she said, laying her cheek against the warm metal.

Under her touch, her Paladin stilled. Her tail curled around her paws and she ceased bouncing. She was content and calm at last, relishing Green's tiny hands on her metal body. The air rumbled with her deep purr and she shuffled closer, pressing her nose into Green's chest.

"Wow," Yellow's Hunk breathed from behind. "And you're just touching her."

"My Paladin missed Green and Team Voltron," Green said, tears burning in her eyes from her Paladin's pure joy.

"Aw, Pidge." Blue's Lance drifted forward, a hand extended. He paused a couple feet away, suddenly unsure. "Is this okay?" he asked, not looking at Green but up at her Paladin.

"She says 'yes', Blue's Lance."

He wasted no more time, reaching out and wrapping his arms as much as he could around her nose.

And her Paladin purred harder.

And Green cried with shared happiness.

"Are you all right, Green?" Black's Shiro asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"My Paladin is happy we are here," she managed to say.

"Touch-starved," Yellow's Hunk muttered, and he tossed his fear aside and joined the hug. "We missed you, too. Keith, Shiro, get over here."

They joined them, all hugging what they could reach of her Paladin.

And her Paladin purred and purred and purred because Green knew there was no other way for a Lion to convey how happy she was.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	29. Chapter 29: Switched, Part V

**Special Thanks** to **bookmaniac849** , **CrazyRedmanelion** , **WolvesRock14** , **TeenTitansFanForever02** , **Green Giant Uranus** , **kelli n c** , **Selena Snow** , **feelzyfeelz** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **Alkirian** , **Gravtron1** , **HiImDelta** (I have taken your prompt and run with it! I need to finish this arc, do one more chapter after it, and then it will be your prompt. But it is written and ready!), **ForTheLuvOfPidge** , **Kinzichi** , **GriffonSpade** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Bokettocos** (your review of Chapter 1), **Guest** , **SmolBirdy5** , **katiewinchester87** , **marmoreal** (I'd bake you cookies and send them to you, if I could!), **ElectricGreen13** , **FanGirlOfEveryone** , **Tairulz** , **WyldClaw** (your review of Chapter 20), **NextGen** , **Kayla05w** , (your reviews of chapters 1, 14 and 28), **Guest** , **Guest** , **Guest** , **Cait162000** , **RIPme** , **Guest** (your review of Chapter 9), and **bella114892** , thank you for your kind reviews. They made my day/month(s)!

 **Author's Note:** Hi, everyone! First off, thank you so much for all the reads, follows, favourites, and reviews. This fic surpassed 500 follows and 500 favourites: **Audaciously** was my 500th follower and **Edogawa-chan** was my 500th favouriter! Thank you both! And I thank each and every one of you readers from the bottom of my heart. Second, congratulations to **CrazyRedmanelion** for being the 800th review! *throws virtual confetti* I am beyond reeling, guys! Your reviews really help keep this story going, and I love how much you love what I'm doing. Hugs all around! Third, I am aware that **FFnet had some major problems** on the day I last updated this story, August 20. **If this doesn't look familiar -**

"Green woke up with the planet's animals' morning calls. Bounding out of bed, she leaned out of her window to breathe in the fresh, forest air. Something chittered nearby and was answered from farther away. Just visible through the canopy, the black sky was brightening to navy. Her palms itched strangely and she had the urge to climb up and see the sunrise fully. Her Paladin was a good climber, but Green had never climbed anything before. Except the stairs yesterday. And that hadn't gone so well."

 **\- please read Chapter 28!** You didn't miss much plot-wise, but Green had some wonderful bonding time with Shiro, Lance, and Keith, and Team Voltron has returned to the Castle of Lions for some quality time with Pidge. (I apologise to everyone who cried and/or melted at that scene. I am so sorry, but I'm glad you liked it.)

I think that's everything I wanted to say, so onward with the story! Also, Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians!

 _Chapter 29: Switched, Part V_

Pidge had never been happier. Lying on her belly with her paws tucked in, she cast her sensor net around to ensure everyone was safe: all five heartbeats were steady; all five sets of lungs worked; all five bodies lounging on or around her were intact, a couple half-nearing dozing off.

And then Lance spoke. "You know what? We should let Pidge out."

Pidge's head snapped up at the remark. _What? Out? Like…outside?_

"If we do, we should let all the Lions out," said Shiro. He lay propped against Pidge's side, her tail draped over his lap. "Let them all enjoy the sunshine."

"Can the Lions even feel the sunshine?" asked Hunk from his spot against Pidge's left front paw.

"Who cares? Let's go!" Lance slid off the paw Hunk leaned against, and landed on his feet. "Hey, Green?"

"Yes, Blue's Lance?"

Blue's Lance. Pidge smiled at the title. She really had to admire how Green had maintained the Lions' claim of the Paladins while still being personable. It was cute.

"I think Pidge could do with some fresh air," Lance explained.

"Ah." Green sat up from between Pidge's front paws. "Well, if the Lions choose to, a Paladin is unnecessary for a short excursion, especially if they're just stepping outside."

"Wait, really?" Shiro asked.

"Cool!" said Hunk.

Pidge carefully rose to her paws, her long tail sweeping back and forth. _Yes, yes, please! I want to go outside! I want to see Japra! I want to see Shola and Cheychi and Churei! I want to see sunshine! Please, Green?_

"Very well, my Paladin!" Green said with a laugh, and got up. "Now. If Green remembers correctly, the button for the hangar doors is right…here!" She pressed a button on the wall and the massive bay doors slid open, letting in a brisk breeze and streaming sunlight.

Pidge bounced on her toes, having a care for the tiny humans scattered around her. As soon as the doors were open wide enough, she charged, darting through the opening and out into Japra.

 _A meadow!_ she exclaimed happily. Absently, she rapidly categorised everything within her three-mile sensor radius. Anything poisonous? There was a bunch of suspicious, mushroom-like fungi growing in the shade of some dense undergrowth two miles north. Anything venomous? A small flock of birds that had teeth and some special glands roosted half a mile to the east, but they ate insects and a bite from one of the birds would maybe only give a human Lance's size a mild headache. The forest that encircled the meadow was huge, stretching in all directions further than her sensors could reach. In the distance, she saw the trees that were taller than most hills back home. There was grass under her paws, a babbling brook nearby, and flowers blooming in clumps along the banks. There were no Chrii to be seen, but that was all right. She could say hello later.

And the sun! The sunshine warmed the sensors in her panelling, making it feel like she had skin again. It felt wonderful…

 _/Green's Paladin? What are you doing?/_ Yellow's concern wafted through Pidge's cortex, no doubt in response to Pidge's inexplicable bliss.

 _/Sunbathing,/_ Pidge replied, lying down and rolling onto her back. She was too big and too heavily-armoured for the grass to tickle her. Nevertheless, she enjoyed it. It was so much better than the hard metal floor of her hangar.

 _My Paladin is happy,_ Green said with a distinct purr in her voice.

 _I've missed this,_ said Pidge. Her paws dangled in the air, her tail sweeping slowly over the grass, and she let the sun warm her belly. _And there's no way I can get sunburned now!_

 _Green is happy you are happy, my Paladin._

 _/Green's Paladin, we are coming to join you outside,/_ Black said.

 _/Awesome./_ Pidge still lay on her back, but she tilted her head to watch the Lions round the Castle's corners, coming from their respective hangars. Their happiness at being out and about, without walls to separate them, was almost tangible.

Then Red spotted Green standing beside Shiro and fumbled to a halt so quickly that Yellow stepped on her.

 _/Sorry, Red,/_ Yellow apologised quickly. When no response was forthcoming, she said, _/Red? What's the matter?/_

 _/Green Sister,/_ Red replied simply, staring.

Black, Blue and Yellow's heads snapped up, looking to where their Pride Sister stood: so small, so fragile, and so mortal.

It was Black who moved first. With cautious steps, she closed distance with her Pride Sister.

When Green spotted Black coming towards her, she stiffened. When Black crouched scant feet away, Pidge felt that tiny heart pound.

 _/Easy, Black,/_ Pidge urged. _/You're scaring her./_

Concern and shame warred with each other down the Pride bond, and Black shuffled backwards, putting an infinitesimal (to a Lion) amount of distance between Lion and human-mortal-Lion. Then Black said so quietly, _/Green's Paladin, please relay Black's heart-thoughts to Green Sister./_

Sitting up, Pidge was alert and wary. _/Okay,/_ she hedged, and she widened her bond with Green.

Pidge braced herself for a hurricane of emotion. This was the Black Lion, after all, Guardian Spirit of Air. She was ferocious in her love for her Pride, and Pidge knew she missed Green fiercely. To her amazement, however, Black purred softly. The gentle sound vibrated through the ground and air, and down Pidge's bond to Green. A wafting breeze rather than a hurricane.

 _/My Green Sister,/_ Black purred. _/Black misses you./_

Pidge channelled these words down her bond and felt a sting of tears that didn't belong to her when Green scrambled forward, ran the few steps that separated them, and fell on Black's nose. Like Pidge before, Black nuzzled her, being so careful.

Thunderous purrs rumbled through the meadow: Blue, Red and Yellow neared and lay down beside their Pride Leader, reaching for Green who reached for them with tiny, fragile hands.

"My Sisters, my Sisters," Green wept, draping herself over Black's nose and stroking Red's at the same time. "Green misses you."

Pidge looked away, allowing them what privacy she could, but it wasn't much since the Lions and Green were all in her head and she was the bridge between them. She lay down once more and tried to focus on the warm sun on her panels, while half of her cortex kept a lookout for Green and for whatever else the Lions wanted to say to their Sister.

-:-:-:-

Green sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve as Black and Red retreated to let Blue and Yellow nearer. A tiny part of her, the part that was infused with the human body's cells, brain and ingrained instincts, warned her that she was an insect beneath massive paws and jaws, that she currently cuddled with weapons of mass destruction. The other part of her – the quintessence of her Lion self and her spirit – squashed the horrifying feeling and let her hug her Sisters who purred at her in return and nuzzled her gently; they understood how fragile she was now.

They pulled away after several long moments and Green wiped her eyes again. "It is good to see you, Sisters," she said.

They rumbled a purr, her Paladin guiding their words to her: _All will be right again soon. Fear not, Sister._

"Then you should not fear either," Green replied firmly. "Green is as safe as possible." She levelled a stare at Black who grumbled and shuffled her front paws awkwardly. She knew that her Sisters knew they had done wrong when they had panicked at Green getting hurt earlier today, and she let them know that she knew. All four heads fell low, apology in every line of their bodies. She smiled and reached forward and up to rub Yellow's great chin. "All will be right again soon," she whispered. "Have no fear for Green."

 _Pride Voltron will try,_ Black promised.

 _Try not. Do or do not. There is no try,_ her Paladin interjected absently.

Green grinned wide while her Pride Sisters all looked over their shoulders to cast a withering look at her Paladin who lay in the grass. She flicked her tail, either unaware of or ignoring the Lions, preferring to put her attention towards the sun and fresh air.

Green snickered, gave Blue one last pat, and said, "Green will go now. Enjoy the sunshine." She walked away, letting her Paladin enjoy herself for the time being, and the Paladins fell into step around her as she re-entered the Castle's foyer.

"Is everything okay, Green?" Black's Shiro asked politely.

"Yes, Black's Shiro. Thank you." She smiled up at him. "My Sisters required comfort. They were very much frightened by today's events."

"And the day's not even over," Yellow's Hunk observed quietly.

Green canted her head in thought. It was late afternoon, but because of the season and their location, sunset was still some hours away. What could she do in that time?

"Maybe you should lie down for a bit?" Blue's Lance suggested. "Take a nap before supper."

"I feel like taking a nap," mumbled Red's Keith. As if to prove it, he yawned, showing off unimpressive, human-mortal teeth.

Black's Shiro clapped a hand to his shoulder, smiling, and said, "See you in a couple hours, then."

Dismissed, Red's Keith trotted off. Yellow's Hunk veered away to the kitchen for a snack while Black's Shiro headed for the training deck. Green shook her head. Black's Shiro trained hard – too hard, sometimes.

Now it was just Blue's Lance and Green in the middle of the foyer. She fiddled with the hem of her tunic. She could not remember how to get to her Paladin's room from here and she didn't want to disturb her Paladin, nor did she want to ask help from Blue's Lance who had already been so helpful so far. Then again…he had told her to speak up when she needed something…

She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and spoke: "Blue's Lance? Green doesn't remember how to get to my Paladin's bedroom from here."

He blinked at her, taken by surprise, and then smiled. "I can show you the way. Come on." He started walking, his long legs carrying him swiftly away.

Green trotted to keep up. "Thank you, Blue's Lance."

"Sure thing, Green."

They covered a few corridors in silence, but Green caught him glancing at her sidelong every so often. Something was clearly on his mind.

"Is something the matter?" she encouraged gently when she caught him looking at her again.

He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself. "Earlier," he said, "you said you thought that Allura was upset with you. Why?"

Oh. Green looked down, her face heating. "Her Highness doesn't look at Green anymore," she answered quietly. "She was brusque in the infirmary and coolly polite in the common hall. Green thinks Her Highness is disappointed because Green got hurt today."

He frowned. "Have you talked to her?"

Green fidgeted with the hem of her tunic and said nothing.

"I'll take that as a no. How's about I talk to her?"

Her head snapped up, her eyes wide. She was sure she had not misheard, but why would Blue's Lance do such a thing for her; he had done so much for her already. "That is a kind offer, but Green doesn't want to be a coward," she said quietly.

"You're not a coward. You're trusting your friends to handle this one thing while you deal with a bunch of other things." Blue's Lance smiled at her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Let me do this thing for you," he said.

Green canted her head. Through the hand on her shoulder, she could feel Blue Sister's compassion swell through her like a stalwart brook that found its way to the sea. Blue had chosen exceedingly well when she had chosen him, for he matched her heart for heart and selflessness for selflessness. While each Lion did her best to find a suitable match, Blue had clearly found the perfect match; and Green, in her human-mortal frame with human-mortal emotions jumbling about in her brain and veins, was slightly jealous of such a pairing. Green loved her Paladin dearly, but there was something extraordinary about Blue and Blue's Paladin, something that could not be explained or quantified.

With those thoughts, Green found herself smiling back up at Blue's Lance, her Sister's treasured heart, who was her Sister made flesh and mortal. "Very well, Blue's Lance," she said at last. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he replied, waving a hand. "Well, here we are."

They stopped outside her Paladin's bedroom and Green put her hand on the scanner to let herself in. "Thank you, Blue's Lance," she said again.

"Sleep tight, Green."

His smile was the last thing she saw before the door closed with a gentle hiss of hydraulics, and then she turned away to the bed, picking her way through the mess of…everything on the floor. She crawled onto the mattress, pleased to find it softer than her nest in her Paladin's cockpit and the bed in Matron Sharya's hall. She snuggled in, pulling the blankets tightly around herself, and fell asleep to the sounds of her own breathing and heartbeat.

-:-:-:-

Lance paused outside the Bridge for a moment, hand hesitating on the palm-pad. He thought back to what Green had said about Allura and wondered if he really should be the one…not confronting but…enquiring about Allura's behaviour. Then again, he had promised Green he would do this for her. She had so much to deal with: new body, human things to learn, being separated mentally and physically from her Sisters, creating relationships with everyone she came in contact with… It was, in every real aspect of the phrase, starting a new life. Lance couldn't help but admire her for being as stalwart as she was. She did her best at everything, and, sure, some things hadn't gone well, like climbing those stairs yesterday and today's playground incident, but Green kept pushing through everything because she knew she needed to. She needed to become familiar with her new body. She had to learn human things to function and be polite. She worked to shield her emotions about being separated from the Lions so that no one would feel bad because of her, which segued into her making friends with…everybody: the paladins, Allura and Coran, and the Chrii. Green really was making astounding progress, considering that the switch had happened barely three days ago. So now, with her admittance to confusion pertaining to Allura's cold shoulder, Lance couldn't help but wonder why. What had Green done wrong to make Allura act so oddly?

He squared his shoulders. He was going to find out. After all, he never broke a promise.

Palm met scanner and the doors swooshed open. Allura and Coran were still there, Coran at his console while Allura peered over his shoulder. Both looked up when Lance entered.

"Ah, Lance, my boy. How is Pidge?" Coran said by way of greeting.

Lance crossed the deck and smiled at the easy question. "She's fine. We let her and the Lions out of their hangars to enjoy some sunshine. Green also said hello to her Sisters."

Allura nodded absently. "Yes. We watched on the monitors. I was unaware that they could move about without a paladin."

"Yeah, but Green said they could, within limits, so…" Lance shrugged, fighting to stay casual. "Um, say, Allura, could I, um, talk to you for a second?"

"Only a second?" Allura teased with a smile. "That's barely a tick, you know."

Lance rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, yeah. I know. Um. I don't think it'll take long."

His nervousness caught their attention. Both straightened, though Coran's console still whirred gently as it did whatever it was doing – probably running long-range scans for Galran fleets.

"What's the matter?" Allura's eyes sharpened a fraction, though she still smiled congenially.

Lance tried not to gulp. She was beautiful and amazing and kicked butt, but there was something about looking into Allura's eyes that made him think she could see his soul. It was massively intimidating. "Nothing major," he managed to say without squeaking. "Just, uh, Green mentioned something that I thought I'd ask you about."

"Oh?" she encouraged.

Coran turned away, suddenly intensely focussed on the keyboard and holoscreen in front of him.

Allura stepped away, guiding Lance with a hand to the other side of the Bridge.

Lance took a deep breath, rallying his courage, and was surprised to hear Blue purr in his ear. _Be calm, my Paladin. Her Highness will be fair._

 _Thanks, Blue,_ he thought. "So, uh, Green's kind of concerned that you're angry with her about something," he said out loud.

Those opalescent eyes flashed. "Oh. Did she tell you this?"

Lance nodded. "She mentioned it, among other things. She's got so much to deal with. She kind of just…blurted it all out before we left the Matron's hall. She thinks you're mad at her for getting hurt today."

White brows rose high, her mouth falling open. "She thinks I'm…? Why would she think that?"

"Is it true?" Lance winced as soon as the words were out of his mouth, but Allura flinched, too.

"I am angry, Lance," she admitted. "But I am not angry with her. I'm angry with myself."

"Yourself?" he echoed. "Why?"

Allura folded her hands in front of her. Her head bowed and her gaze fell to the floor. "Because I am your guardian. I am responsible for the well-being of all the paladins. Green got hurt today and so I failed in my responsibility to her."

"But…that was an accident!" Lance blurted. "It wasn't anyone's fault."

"Regardless, I should have –"

"No." Lance laid a gentle hand on her arm, though his tone was firm. "No, Allura. You couldn't have done anything. There was nothing to do because it was an accident. The only way it could have been prevented was by locking us all up in our rooms, and that would've sucked because we all wanted to explore. Green wanted to explore. She's so like Pidge that it's scary. She's curious about everything and wants to learn and find out about everything, and it was so great to see her play with Keith. You know how scary this has to be for her – for both her and Pidge – but she was smiling today, and there was nothing pretentious about it."

He squeezed her arm. "I know this is scary for you, too. It's scary for us all. But we can't blame ourselves for stuff that's out of our control. Green blames no one for what happened today, but she thinks she did something wrong and she doesn't know that it's not her fault you're upset."

He stopped there, breathing hard and trembling because he had never, ever had to talk to Allura like this. He hoped he hadn't overstepped…

"You're right." Allura's soft voice interrupted his anxious thoughts. "You're right, Lance. This is scary, and I am very much frightened for the Green Lion and Pidge, both. I…I overreacted today. I didn't mean to hurt Green's feelings." She looked up at him, then, her eyes over-bright but not shedding the tears gathering there. She blinked twice and the tears were gone. She smiled at him. "Thank you, Lance. Your words were compassionate and brave. Now I, too, must be brave and apologise to Green."

Lance nodded and stepped away, tucking his arms around himself. "She's sleeping right now, so it'll have to wait," he said.

Allura inclined her head. "Thank you. Was there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Not really. That was pretty much it." He moved with her as she slowly made her way back over to Coran. "Uh, how are those scans going?"

"No sign of Galran activity in this system, as far as I can tell," Coran piped up from his station.

"Good. That's good. Well." Lance rubbed his neck. "I think I'll, uh, go get a snack."

"I believe Hunk has prepared an early supper that is nearly ready." Coran tilted his head to one of the monitors. Sure enough, there was Hunk in the kitchen, the island full of steaming plates and covered dishes.

Lance's stomach snarled at the sight and Allura smiled while Coran chuckled.

"Go get some food, my boy."

Lance didn't need telling twice. With a two-fingered salute, he sauntered out the door.

 _That,_ he thought as he headed for the kitchen, _went better than I thought it would._

 _Told you so,_ said Blue.

 _I never doubted you,_ he answered.

 _But my Paladin still worried._

 _Hey! I'm allowed to worry._

 _Of course. Such a thing is common among mortal creatures._

 _Like_ you _don't worry?_

There was a quiet pause before Blue said, _Yes. Blue worries. This is… This is scary for Pride Voltron, too._

Lance had nothing to say to that. He hoped that this Chara fellow was found quickly. He hoped he could switch Green and Pidge back.

 _Hope is a good thing to hold onto,_ Blue said. _Blue will take my Paladin's hope and make it Blue's._

 _Don't forget to share with your Sisters and Pidge,_ Lance couldn't help but tease.

But Blue's reply was far from teased. She was confident and sure as she said, _But of course. Hope is meant to be shared._

-:-:-:-

Green woke up when her stomach grumbled. She groaned, rolling over, and pulled the blankets higher over her shoulders. She wanted to sleep some more. When her belly growled more loudly, she gave up on the hope of more sleep. At least her headache was gone. She left the room, running her fingers through her hair and fluffing it out a bit as she walked towards the kitchen. She almost took a wrong turn, but the smell of hot food corrected her in time and she followed the delicious scents to the dining room.

Everyone was already there.

"Ah, Green! Join us," Her Highness greeted her warmly and waved her over. "How was your nap?"

Green nearly balked at the sudden turn-about in Her Highness's behaviour, but she replied politely. "It was wonderful, thank you, Your Highness. Green has decided that sleep is a wonderful thing." She sat down amidst smiles and chuckles.

"Here, Green." Yellow's Hunk passed her a clean plate and cutlery and pushed various dishes towards her.

"Thank you, Yellow's Hunk." She grinned at him, happy to see him grin back, and selected what she wanted.

Conversation fluttered sporadically around the table, but Green focussed on eating for a few doboshes until Blue's Lance spoke up from across the table. "How's your headache, Green?"

Green was distinctly aware of the others' surprised looks and said, before anyone else could comment, "Much better now. Thank you, Blue's Lance. My Paladin speculated earlier that, though Shurr had healed Green's concussion, stress is a possible main factor. The nap helped decrease the stress immensely."

"That's good. Naps truly are a wonderful thing," Blue's Lance said with a sagely nod.

It was then that Black's Shiro inputted softly from Green's other side. "Green, I know that the past few days have been hard for everybody, most of all you, and I know I speak for everyone here when I say how great you've been in handling this, but you don't have to burden this alone because you're not alone. We're here to support you, too. I'm sorry it's taken this long to say it."

Green was silent, stunned by the heartfelt sincerity and the pledge itself. Then again, this was Black's Shiro, the pilot for the Head of Voltron, the leader. It stood to reason that he would be the one to voice the rallying cry of support from the team as a whole. That it was for her forced Green to ignore the slight ache in her chest that, yes, this was a little late in coming, but Black's Shiro said it now, and everyone was nodding at her, including Her Highness.

"Thank you, Black's Shiro," she said. "My Paladin has been thriving with Pride Voltron. It will be a joy and an honour to do the same with Team Voltron. But Green knows that Green has support. Each of you in your own way provides the assistance Green needs, whether Green asks for it or not." She smiled at Red's Keith, Yellow's Hunk, Blue's Lance, and Black's Shiro, her moments with each of them forefront in her mind.

Red's Keith and Yellow's Hunk both reddened and looked down bashfully while Blue's Lance and Black's Shiro smiled back.

It wasn't too long later that the meal ended and Black's Shiro took the dishes to the kitchen, Support Commander assisting him. The other Paladins stood, Red's Keith pitching the idea of heading to the training deck, and Green stood to go with them, but halted when Her Highness cleared her throat.

"Green, may I have a word with you, please?"

Green froze, feeling her heart pound in her chest. She glanced to Blue's Lance and it was like he knew she would because he was already watching her. The confidence and surety in his gaze were staggering as he flicked his eyes to Her Highness and then back to her and nodded, a small dip of his chin.

Blue's Lance had spoken to Her Highness. The impending conversation was a result, and Blue's Lance was confident that all would be well.

Green returned her gaze to Her Highness and nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."

"We'll wait for you outside, Green," Blue's Lance said as he ushered the others out the door.

Green waved a hand to let him know she had heard and turned her full attention to Her Highness. She remained standing, pushed in her chair and waited.

Her Highness clasped her hands in front of her and took a deep breath. "It has come to my attention that I owe you an apology, Green Lion," she began. "Lance informed me of some things you had discussed with him, and I want to tell you how sorry I am that I have inadvertently hurt your feelings. I am and never was angry with you concerning today's incident."

Green watched her carefully and said nothing, noting her body language and tone of voice. Both were contrite and ashamed and genuine.

"I am also sorry that I was blind to your hurt and the added stress I caused you in an already-stressful situation," Her Highness continued. "I should have known better and I regret my inability." Her earnest gaze dropped to the floor. "I formally apologise for failing in my responsibility to you in protecting you today and in hurting you as I have."

Something twinged in Green's chest, an ache that sharpened before fading slightly. Her Paladin offered no insight into the feeling and so Green gave it her best shot. Closing distance, she laid her small hand on Her Highness's arm. "Green does not wish for a formal apology," she said. "Green, however, will accept the apology of a friend."

Her Highness's eyes snapped up to meet hers and Green smiled at her. "Be at ease, Your Highness. Green thanks you for your apology and sincere will to do better. All is well."

"Thank you, Green," Her Highness said, a breath of relief marring the words. "Thank you."

Green patted her arm. "Was there anything else Your Highness wished to discuss?" she asked.

"No, Green. That was all." She smiled at her. "Thank you."

Green inclined her head, ignoring another short jab through her chest. "Of course. Would Your Highness like to come to the training deck with us?"

"That'd be wonderful."

She turned and Her Highness walked with her out of the dining room. Blue's Lance, Yellow's Hunk and Red's Keith awaited them. Blue's Lance grinned when he saw them.

"All's well, eh?" he asked with a teasing wink.

Green nodded. "All is well," she replied and she returned the wink with one of her own, which made him grin wider.

"Come along, then," Her Highness said with a sweeping gesture. "Green, how would you like to try some of the exercises the Paladins do?"

"Green has always wanted to try the maze," Green answered immediately.

Yellow's Hunk laughed while Blue's Lance groaned. Even Red's Keith permitted himself a small smirk.

They started walking and Green was excited, trotting to keep up with the long-legged mortals, when yet another sharp pain ripped through her chest. Sharper than the previous two, she staggered, clutching her chest, and a gasp escaped her.

"Green?" at least four voices asked.

"Green has the most awful feeling," she managed to say. What was this? It felt like her heart was being ripped out by unknown hands. "Something is terribly wrong."

"What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Green shook her head and something bubbled up from her belly, clawing its way up her throat. She swallowed instinctively and it returned to her belly. Her heart, hammering against her ribs, suddenly stuttered and she felt it when, instead of blood rushing to her face in embarrassment, the blood drained from her face in horror. "My Paladin is in danger."

"Pidge is sunbathing with the other Lions," said Her Highness. "She's fine."

"She's not, she's not. Your Highness, please…"

"Green, calm down. Tell us what's happening –"

A roar interrupted Blue's Lance. The sound shook the whole Castle and Green knew who it was when Black's Shiro burst from the kitchen as ashen-faced as she felt. Yet his eyes – pupil, iris and sclera – were a glowing and burning gold as he shouted words that were not his: "Green's Paladin isn't responding! Her quintessence levels are plummeting! We must get her back in the Castle now!"

Green didn't see Blue's Lance and Yellow's Hunk take off after Black's Shiro who had raced down the hall. She stumbled, collapsing into someone's arms. "The Castle recharges Pride Voltron," she whispered. "The Castle is safe."

Her Highness stammered on the sudden conclusion, saying, "Pidge's quintessence isn't sufficient to maintain the Lion."

"She's been automatically recharging since the switch," Red's Keith added. He sounded closest. Was he the one holding Green? "Except for the first fifteen minutes, she hasn't left the Castle."

"She probably didn't even notice her depleting energy reserves," Her Highness said, half to herself.

"My Paladin, my Paladin." Tears poured down Green's face. "She doesn't answer. She is barely present. My Paladin, please…" That awful something in her stomach clawed back up her throat and expelled out of her mouth in an awful mess

Red's Keith swept her hair back from her face with one hand, the other supporting her around her waist, and gently half-carried her away from the bile on the floor. "Easy, Green. Easy. Shiro and the others will get Pidge back to her hangar. She'll be all right."

Green could say nothing coherent, whimpers and whines falling out of her mouth, and a keen rising in the back of her throat. She hung in his arms, unable to stand, and didn't notice when Support Commander arrived, a bio-scanner and something else in his hands. She did, however, catch a gentle murmur of "I'm sorry, Green" before something warm punctured her fragile skin.

 _My Paladin!_ Green keened as darkness consumed her.

-:-:-:-

Pidge came online slowly, her sensors sluggish. She was back in her hangar and lay on her side. When had that happened? _What_ had happened?

 _/Green's Paladin? Are you awake now?/_

Pidge took a couple more seconds to orient herself before replying. _/Yeah? Blue, what happened?/_ Man, even her mental voice sounded raspy and weak.

 _/Pride Voltron and Team Voltron discovered mortal quintessence is insufficient to maintain a Lion without adequate and constant charging. Green's Paladin nearly perished,/_ Blue said quietly, horror and residual panic leaking through the Pride bond.

Pidge's thoughts skittered away from that awful revelation and instead, she ventured outward. _Green? Green, are you there?_

There was no conscious response, but Pidge knew her Lion was present and alive.

 _/What happened?/_ she asked again, though the Lions knew she wasn't asking for solely herself now.

 _/Support Commander had to sedate our Green Sister,/_ Black replied, her massive presence sweeping in. _/She panicked when we discovered you were dying./_

Was that wise after a concussion, healed though it presumably was? Altean medicine was so different from human medicine. She had seen the cryo pods work wonders – had experienced those wonders firsthand – and even though Green was in a human body, would she react differently? Her logical cortex deemed it exceedingly unlikely, but Pidge couldn't help but worry.

 _/Is she… Will she be all right?/_

Black answered, _/Support Commander assured our Paladins that Green will be all right. The sedation will wear of within the next few doboshes, and his biological scan picked up no adverse effects from Green Sister's earlier injury. She will be all right. Are_ you _all right, Green's Paladin?/_

 _/I…I don't really know. I feel…weak. It feels so strange…/_

 _/You are still recharging. The Castle of Lions recharges Pride Voltron's power – our quintessence./_

Pidge understood in an instant; Allura had mentioned something months ago. / _How long was I outside for?/_

 _/Not even a pawful of vargas,/_ Yellow answered gently. _/Green's Paladin was not even actively using energy. Pride Voltron has calculated that, in the event of a battle or the need to form Voltron, you would be at serious risk within a few doboshes./_

Minutes. Pidge could operate at battle capacity for only a few minutes before…

 _/What must I do?/_

 _/Recharge,/_ was the gentle command _. /All is well at the moment./_

Pidge hummed an agreement and then thought of something else. _/How'd I get back in my hangar?/_

 _/My Paladin rallied Blue's and Yellow's Paladins to assist Green's Paladin,/_ said Black.

Pidge canted her head physically and mentally. There was something off in that sentence. It wasn't its deliverance – it was true – but Black was…trying to…hide something?

 _/Black?/_ Pidge ventured. Black and the other Lions had once swept through her own heart and thoughts. Was Pidge capable of doing the same? Was she strong enough? Would Black let her?

Black sighed. It was a weary and ancient sound, like she was too exhausted to deny anything. _/Black will show you./_

And she did.

Pidge blinked against the onslaught of a foreign memory file, but her cortex accepted the coding and immediately began processing it, playing it out in her mind's eye.

It was a collective file, she realised, because she was looking through Lance's eyes when Green stumbled in the hallway.

"Green has the most awful feeling," Green said in response to the concern. "Something is terribly wrong."

Along with the memory file, there was an accompanying analysis. Like a commentary on a film, it explained in Yellow's voice: / _Pride Voltron's attention was captured by the concern we could feel from the Paladins present. We looked through their eyes and recognised Green's pain for what it was, though the human-mortal symptoms were different: a Paladin was dying./_

While Green tried to explain on her end, Pride Voltron delved into the Pride bond that connected all five Lions. What they found flung relived horror across all five processors, and Pidge nearly stalled at how low her energy levels were. They were nearly gone.

Black did…something. She projected her quintessence, but instead of outward, like Green had done to save Pidge, she channelled it inward and down her bond to Shiro who was doing the dishes with Coran. Shiro dropped the plate he was holding and its hover capacitor kicked in before it shattered on the floor.

"Shiro?" Coran began to say, but then he fumbled to a halt when Shiro looked at him.

Yellow elaborated in the analysis. _/Black Sister converged her quintessence with Black's Paladin's and gained enough control to do what needed to be done. It is a harmless process, but does tend to leave the Paladin exhausted. Black's Paladin sleeps in the infirmary beside Green's Sister as we speak./_

Pidge nodded to herself, accepting the outrageous and incredible process unfolding in front of her. She watched through Shiro's eyes as he ran from the kitchen and made his announcement. His voice was his, but the words were not, and Pidge could only imagine what the others were thinking when their eyes widened at the sudden danger.

 _/They were thinking only of you, Green's Paladin,/_ said Yellow. _/Black's Paladin's appearance was alarming to them, but they disregarded it in favour of doing what was necessary to save you./_

The perspective in the file switched to Red. Keith held Green when she collapsed, whispered halting words that were meant as a comfort but he didn't know what to do or say. When Green threw up, Allura retreated from the mess, but Keith continued to hold her, sidestepping her carefully away. He brushed away the tears that rolled ceaselessly down her cheeks and continued to support her weight against him. Green was in a full and uncontrollable weeping panic, but Keith stayed with her and held onto her because there was little else he could do.

Then Coran arrived. No one, not even the Lions, had noticed his leaving the kitchen, but he approached with a bio-scanner in hand. Several warnings beeped shrilly and, as if prepared for the warnings he had just received, he bade Keith hold Green steady. "I'm sorry, Green," he whispered, and a tear rolled down his cheek as he laid a bright orange patch on Green's neck.

 _/It is a sedation patch,/_ Yellow explained. A tiny file about its medical purpose and usage flashed across Pidge's cortex. She filed it away for later, watching when Green went limp, her breathing evening out at last.

Coran scanned her three times, altering the bio-scanner's settings. It chimed once each time and he sighed. "She'll be all right. Come, Keith. Let's get her to the infirmary. She should be watched in case the sedation wears off early."

The perspective switched a final time, but Pidge didn't look through a Paladin's eyes. She was looking through Black's as she watched Blue and Yellow set her in the hangar. Pidge's Lion body slumped to the floor, completely unresponsive, and no matter how hard Black tried, she could not get a response across the bond. If Pidge had been human, the diagnosis would have been comatose, but Black knew the Castle would and could recharge her. It was just a matter of time. Indeed, within the first few tics of being returned to her hangar, Pidge's quintessence levels inched upward. And on the fringe of her sensor net, Black acknlowedged the presence of the few Chrii who watched the proceedings with wide eyes. They had arrived when Black had roared, but had stayed away when it was clear there was nothing they could do to assist.

 _/Pride Voltron knew that Green's Paladin would recover,/_ Black said quietly, _/but Pride Voltron still worried for our Green Paladin../_

 _/I seem to be doing that a lot lately,/_ Pidge muttered. _/I'm sorry./_

 _/Don't be,/_ said Red. _/We were unaware of the potential danger of letting you out of the Castle. For that, we apologise. We were also unaware of the real danger you faced until it was almost too late, and for that, we apologise, as well./_

Pidge sent forgiveness and acceptance across their bond in a steady wave. How could she be angry when they had saved her? She told them so. _/You saved me,/_ she said. _/Thank you./_

Four rumbling purrs echoed through her mind and soul, and Yellow's mental presence butted her head against Pidge's. There were no words necessary, and Pidge basked in the glowing feeling of such love.

-:-:-:-

Shiro awoke slowly, his whole body and mind sluggish as he opened his eyes. He recognised the infirmary's ceiling, glad for the low light that would have blinded him, had it been at full power.

"Welcome back."

Shiro turned his head to the right and found Keith beside him in a chair. He leaned forward, a hand reaching for Shiro's wrist. "How are you feeling?" Keith asked.

"A little scattered. What happened?"

"Well, the short story is that Pidge can't sustain the Lion with her human quintessence and nearly died. It looks like Black took control of you to alert us to the situation and Lance and Hunk helped you put Pidge back in her hangar. You were pretty out of it when Black backed off. And Coran had to sedate Green because she could feel Pidge dying and panicked."

Shiro's eyes widened at that. "Is she okay?"

Keith jerked his chin to Shiro's left and he looked. Green lay in the bed next to his, her eyes closed and her breathing steady and even. A couple of monitors indicated that there were no problems.

Shiro turned back to Keith. "And Pidge?"

"Our Lions are confident that she'll recover. Green's sedation has yet to wear off and I just got a nudge from Red that Pidge came online. Her energy levels are really low, so she's weak right now, but she's okay." Keith smiled, both at him and at the good news he was able to deliver.

Shiro closed his eyes and relaxed. Katie was all right. She would be all right.

 _It is the truth, Paladin mine,_ Black purred. _Rest. Recover. All is well._

Shiro basked in that knowledge and settled more deeply into his pillows and blankets. Keith scooted his chair a fraction closer and continued to hold his metal wrist. It was a comfort that anchored him, and Shiro relaxed even more.

The door swished open a couple of minutes later, Allura, Coran, Lance and Hunk entering. Cheychi, Churei and Shola walked in, too, but stayed by the door. Shola blinked her four eyes at Shiro and he could tell from halfway across the room how relieved she was. He was pretty sure the Chrii had never seen anything like what had happened before, and he was grateful for their continued support.

"Shiro," Allura said with a smile as she drew to a stop beside Keith, "it's good to see you awake. How do you feel?"

"Better than a few minutes ago," Shiro answered truthfully. "I'm just a bit tired."

"That'll wear off soon," Coran piped up.

"That's good news."

"I have more good news," said Allura. "Matron Sharya sent a transmission a few doboshes ago. Chara has been found and is on his way now with his escort. He'll be at the Matron's hall tomorrow, the day after at the latest."

Shiro blinked, then smiled and opened his mouth.

Someone beat him to it.

"That is good news," said Green.

-:-

Thank you for reading! I'd love to hear what you think. :)


	30. Chapter 30: Switched Part VI

**Special Thanks to:** **SecretEnigma** , **October heart** , **WolvesRock14** , **Gravtron1** , **Cait162000** , **Kayla05w** (your review of Chapter 1), **TMNT-Queen** , **RavenNighwing42** , **CrazyRedmanelion** , **AngelMouse5** , **The Oracle Turret** , **SmolBirdy5** , **kelli n c** , **The Incapable Hero** , **ForTheLuvOfPidge** , **Selena Snow** , **bella114892** (your review of Chapter 1), **Kitcat** (your reviews of Chapters 12 and 15), **Acxa Kogane** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **re12re** , **Lexi Parker** , **marmoreal** (in answer to your question about 'first fifteen minutes', this was in reference to when the switch had first happened.), **Myherogal22** , **Kinzichi** , **Silexwitch** , **FanGirlOfEveryone** , **rainbowrider1290** , **IzzyBelleDot** , **Thiendrah** (for your prompt), and **Guest** , thank you for your kind reviews!

 **Author's Note:** Hey, all! Well, this is it: the final segment of "Switched". I was tempted to break this chapter up (it's almost 12,000 words!), but I didn't because I didn't want to cliffhanger you guys. You've all been so wonderful and patient. So here you are! **re12re** suggested I put it into a fic all of its own, so I did. All six chapters are included. :) It's on my profile if anyone's interested. Also, I'm soon to get an account on AO3, so you can follow me there. I'll post details on my profile once I have it set up.

And now, without further ado, Part VI!

 _Chapter 30: Switched, Part VI_

In lieu of events, Matron Sharya informed Her Highness that she would send two more Chrii and a herd of gliphonymu (pronounced _glif_ -fo- _nie_ -moo) in the morning. Speed was of the essence if they wanted to return to the hall and a two-varga hike through the woods was not conducive to it. They would make it back to the Matron's hall in thirty doboshes. Green did not look forward to that trip, but at least she had one more night with her Paladin close by.

For herself, Green slept in her Paladin's cockpit, in the nest under the console that was still there from two nights ago. She listened as, one by one, her Paladin's systems came online as her quintessence levels steadily rose. Green was no longer physically tired from the sedation patch, but she felt a weariness in her soul that ached. She wanted to be back in her body proper. She wanted her Paladin back in her own body, too. She was tired of being human-mortal and all of the implications and dangers that came with it. She loved interacting with their Paladins, Her Highness and Support Commander, and she was constantly intrigued by the human-mortal body she occupied, but…it was too dangerous. For both of them. And Green was tired of being human-mortal when danger lurked. She was more confident with her jaw-blade and cannons, with her Paladin in the driver's seat.

She sighed and snuggled deeper into the blankets.

At least it would be over soon. Chara would arrive today or tomorrow, and then all would be as it should be. She just had to be patient.

 _Green?_ Her Paladin's raspy voice wafted through her brain. _Lance and Hunk are here._

"Oh," Green said out loud. "Green is coming." She disentangled herself from her nest's blankets and walked out of the cockpit and down the ramp.

"Morning, Green," Blue's Lance said, giving a little wave. "We were wondering where you'd gone off to after Coran set you free from the infirmary."

"You slept okay?" Yellow's Hunk added.

Green nodded. "Yes. Thank you, both. Green just needed to be close to my Paladin. It…it was a scary day, yesterday."

"I hear you," said Yellow's Hunk. "We came to check on you. Make sure you were doing okay."

"Green is doing as well as able," she said. "Is it time to leave?"

"Almost," answered Blue's Lance. "The matron sent another message saying that the gliph-critters are a bit more spread out. It'll take a bit longer than they'd thought." The animals were only used in emergencies and were docile enough that they were given free range of the forests, so none were kept in the villages. That, and they didn't climb trees.

Green nodded and gestured towards the door. They followed her out as she said, "Green finds it curious that animals that are supposedly used in emergencies are given free-rein to roam. That rather defeats the effectiveness of their response time."

"Agreed," said Yellow's Hunk. He shared a glance with Blue's Lance and then added, "Are you sure you're doing okay? I mean, it's okay to not be okay."

Green drifted to a stop, her eyes on the floor. It was the same everywhere in the castle, consistent and uniform in all the rooms and halls. She remembered the sound of her vomit hitting that metal flooring, felt the vibrations of Black Sister's roar as it shook the stability beneath her feet. She closed her eyes and hugged her arms. "Green is tired of being scared all the time," she whispered. "Green has had fun with our Paladins, but worry and fear are constantly in Green's head and heart. Green is tired of it."

Yellow's Hunk came up beside her and wrapped an arm over her shoulders. She turned into him, burying her face in his shirt and sagging just a little when his other arm encircled her. "Okay," he said simply and he continued to hug her. Blue's Lance stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder. He didn't say anything, and Green was glad.

"Yellow's Hunk?" she ventured after a moment or six.

"Yeah?"

"Some time ago, you braided my Paladin's hair. She did not say it at the time, but it was comforting to her. Green asks you now, Yellow's Hunk, if you wouldn't mind…?"

"Of course I wouldn't mind." He hugged her a bit tighter and then let her go. Green opened her eyes in time to see him smile at her. "I think Lance still has some ribbons somewhere."

Blue's Lance inexplicably grinned with mischief. "I've got a better idea," he said. "Meet me outside."

With that, he ran off down the hall, leaving Green feeling perplexed but happily so. Shaking her head, she turned down a different hallway, Yellow's Hunk matching her pace.

The early morning sun was rising, casting long shadows across the meadow and purple fire across the sky. Two moons were visible, each awash in pale purple. The air warmed, summer's heat sharpening with the dawn, and a gentle breeze fluttered Green's hair. She pushed it back with a hand and turned in a circle to take in the meadow. She hadn't really looked at it because her attention had been diverted to her Paladin and her Sisters, but she had a chance now.

The grass was long, almost up to her ankles, and soft. She immediately took off her shoes and socks and burrowed her toes in the grass, feeling the cool earth.

A gentle sound caught her attention and her head snapped up. "Green hears water," she announced.

Yellow's Hunk chuckled and pointed. "Yeah. There's a stream over there – Hey! Wait up!"

Green raced across the meadow, plopped herself down on the bank, and dabbled her bare toes in the water. The grass here was substantially flattened – the shapes of sunbathing Voltron Lions from yesterday imprinted into the dirt – but the flowers were unharmed. She examined one, a small bloom with six purplish-orange petals that matched the sky overhead, before gently plucking and smelling it.

 _Smells like sweet peas,_ her Paladin murmured absently.

 _Green likes it,_ was her reply.

"It is called duskfire." Green turned around to find Shola walking towards her. Behind her, she spotted Cheychi, Churei and the two other Chrii on the far side of the meadow, in the direction leading back to the Matron's hall. They looked down at the blossom Green held and smiled.

"Duskfire," Green repeated. "Fitting." She twirled the stem between her fingers, watching the colours and petals blur together.

She heard Blue's Lance before she saw him, huffing and puffing from running around. "I got the stuff!" he exclaimed as he set a blanket down on the grass, dropped pins, ties and other paraphernalia, and sank onto the bank beside her.

Yellow's Hunk chuckled warmly and sat down on Green's other side.

"Join us, Shola," Green invited. "Yellow's Hunk is braiding Green's hair."

Shola blinked blankly for a moment, touching her bald head, and then smiled. "Ah. We have braiding, too, though it is with fabrics and reeds. I have never seen it done on a person before." She folded her long self onto the opposite bank (the stream was barely half a metre across) and ran her fingers through the grass.

Blue's Lance and Yellow's Hunk exchanged whispers, clearly scheming or plotting something diabolical with her hair. Green ignored them until Yellow's Hunk cracked his knuckles – an alarming and disgusting sound – and began to card his fingers through her hair, teasing the strands. Green propped her elbows on her knees and closed her eyes, savouring the smells and sounds of the meadow and the feel of fingers in her hair.

It was a few doboshes later that Blue's Lance exhaled a low whistle. "Dang! Would you look at that?"

Green opened her eyes and looked to where Blue's Lance stared: upward. The sky had lightened, pink and orange flames licking through purple-blue clouds, and the two moons were now gilded with rosy gold. A few brighter stars still twinkled in the paling inky west, and animals stirred and sang their morning songs, greeting each other and the new day from treetops dappled in dawn's fire.

Yellow's Hunk's fingers froze in their parting and twisting and he, too, stared, mouth slightly agape, as the morning light lit his eyes to burnished amber. "Wow," he whispered.

Green smiled to herself. It looked like she wouldn't have to haul Blue's Lance up a tree, after all.

They sat there for several doboshes, watching the clouds scuttle across the sky and the colours change and brighten. Then, as if hearing a spoken word, they returned to their tasks.

"Almost done, Lance," said Yellow's Hunk.

Blue's Lance made a noncommittal noise in his throat, his attention elsewhere. It occurred to Green that the duskfire flower in her hand was gone. Perhaps she had dropped it? She would look for it later, when the braiding was done.

"There," Yellow's Hunk said with a flourish of pride just as Blue's Lance exclaimed, "All done! Here, Green. Turn this way."

Green turned and as she did, she caught sight of what was in his hands. A wreath made of grass and duskfire.

 _Flower crown,_ her Paladin corrected. _My mom used to make them all the time for me and Matt when we were younger._

"Blue's Lance," Green whispered. "It's beautiful."

He smiled at her and placed the wreath – flower crown – on her head. He arranged it carefully, tucking it around the braid on her head.

Across the brook, Shola stared with open awe and wonder. "Mammi used to tell us stories of her ancestors who, on Chriishosha, had encountered a forest spirit," she said quietly, near breathless. "They called it a _lolandomii_. They said it was smaller than any Chrii child and wore a crown of flowers on its head, and that, when it laughed, the sun shone brighter on sunny days and when it rained, the rains were sweeter."

Green smiled and tilted her head, trying to catch her reflection in the babbling stream. "Well, Green is no _lolandomii_ ," she said. "Green is just Green in my Paladin's body, and my Paladin is human-mortal all the way through."

"Here." Yellow's Hunk slid her a mirror that was barely the size of her hand. Green took it, held it up, and her eyes widened.

The braid was not the same one Blue's Lance had done for Her Highness so long ago, but it was similar in that it looked like a crown. Her hair was parted down the middle and braided on each side into the rest of her hair and met at the base of her skull where Yellow's Hunk had secured it with pins. The eye was immediately drawn to the flowers, purple and orange amongst the green grass and her light brown hair.

A tiny flash of light startled her and she nearly dropped the mirror. She glanced at Blue's Lance who had a device in his hand.

 _Camera,_ her Paladin supplied. _He took your picture._

Sure enough, he grinned at it and turned it around for her to see. "What do you think?" he asked.

Green blinked and canted her head to the side, examining the image. There she was, sat on the grassy bank of the brook with her eyes locked on the mirror in her hands, the Castle in the background. The sun caught in her hair, turning it to deep gold, and highlighting the flowers in brighter colour. She looked…happy. Enraptured with her reflection and the magic the Paladins had woven into her hair.

She handed back the camera with a smile. "It is a beautiful image, Blue's Lance."

He beamed and suddenly spun around, falling across Green's and Yellow's Hunk's laps. "Selfie!" he announced. "Shola, get over here!"

Shola laughed, joined them, and Blue's Lance took the picture – and a few more.

They were all laughing when a low rumble met their ears, and Green looked up to see Cheychi, Churei, Cho and Shil leap into the meadow, their long legs carrying them swiftly alongside the herd of gliphonymu, two riders atop the two in front.

"Holy cow! It's the gliphs!" Blue's Lance scrambled to his feet.

The gliphonymu were long-legged creatures, with delicate paws and lean bodies that were covered, not in fur or hair, Green realised as they drew up beside them, but with tiny feathers in a variety of colours and patterns, including flecks, stripes, and splotches that reminded her Paladin of a piebald horse. Their sleek heads, crowned with a wide crest of longer plumes that lay flat along their skulls, bobbed on long necks, their whip-like tails sweeping over the grass. There were eight of them, and Green stood to greet the newcomers.

"Paladins, Green Lion," said the first. She dismounted fluidly and placed a hand over her heart. "I am Shinama. This is my brother, Chaki. Matron Sharya ordered us to bring you back to the Matron's hall."

"Hi!" said Blue's Lance. "I'm Lance. This is Hunk and Green. The others should be out soon. We were just enjoying the sunrise."

All seven Chrii looked up at the pale blue sky, ghosts of pink fading quickly.

"Ah," said Chaki. "It must have been exceptionally beautiful today." He slid off his mount and, too, bowed. "It's an honour to meet you."

"Likewise," Yellow's Hunk said with a distracted smile. "Can I, uh, pet one?" His eyes were on the nearest gliphonymu to him and Chaki chuckled.

"Of course. He is very gentle." Chaki placed a hand under its chin and guided it forward to meet Yellow's Hunk's timid fingers. The gliphonymu was curious and lipped at his fingertips, eliciting giggles.

Green was about to giggle herself when a soft nose whiffled against her hair. She froze, her gaze sliding upward, and found Shinama's mount right there. "Please do not eat Green's flowers," she said quietly but firmly.

The gliphonymu lowered its head to look her in the eye. Green met its gaze calmly, her brows slightly raised. It snorted, its crest flaring briefly before settling again, and nuzzled her face and neck instead.

"I don't believe it," Shinama gasped. "Gliphonymu love duskfire. They eat it whenever they can get it." She stared at Green with wide, pink eyes. "How'd you do that?"

Green shrugged her shoulders and petted her new friend. It wasn't long until she was surrounded, gentle chuffs from all eight animals demanding pets and scratches. She obliged right up to the moment when Her Highness, Black's Shiro, Red's Keith and Support Commander joined them.

"Is this a petting zoo?" Black's Shiro quipped with a laugh. "Hey, Green. Your hair looks great."

"Thank you, Black's Shiro. Yellow's Hunk and Blue's Lance did all the work." She turned to Her Highness and said, "Is it time to go?"

Her Highness nodded, smiling a little. "Yes. Coran and I double-checked Pidge before we left. She's recharging well."

"Yes," Green agreed. "She should reach full capacity by midday tomorrow."

"Something is wrong with Paladin Pidge?" Shinama asked, concerned.

"Nothing that can't be fixed," Green said before anyone could answer. "All will be well when Chara switches us back."

"Speaking of," said Chaki. "Shall we?"

They each paired up with a Chrii. Green was the only one who sat in front of Shola, the others all behind their respective companion. "You're small enough that this is better," she explained as she clucked her tongue to her mount. Green nodded her agreement and peered around Shola's arm to watch the herd fall in behind them. Shinama and Chaki led the group, Her Highness and Black's Shiro with them, but Shola was right behind them. Green appreciated the smooth gait and the lack of saddle or bridle that her Paladin had half-expected.

They set off at a brisk pace and a question popped into Green's head. "How fast can the gliphonymu run?"

Shola replied, "We can make it to the Matron's hall in six doboshes if we run, but it takes a skilled rider to control the mount at that kind of speed. The dense forest presents many hazards, as well. There aren't many who can ride at full speed."

"But you can." Green didn't say it as a question. It was a simple inference from the subtle pride she heard in Shola's tone.

Shola laughed. "I am one of five in the whole village who can."

The ride passed quickly, and when they arrived at the base of the Matron's hall's trees, swings were ready to haul them up.

 _Green definitely prefers this to climbing stairs,_ she thought as she settled herself into the swing. Her feet left the ground in a rush, the wind stroking her cheeks and sending a few loose duskfire petals dancing around her.

Her Paladin laughed.

-:-:-:-

"The solstice is today?"

Green's head snapped up, a half-chewed roll in her mouth. They were back in the main hall and sitting at the Matron's table, eating lunch. There were no other Chrii but for Matron Sharya. She watched Matron Sharya smile kindly at Blue's Lance.

"Of course. I did say it was approaching. There's a wonderful festival that takes place. There's food and dancing and –"

"When does it start?" Yellow's Hunk interrupted.

Matron Sharya's lips twitched, fighting a smile or annoyance, it was hard to tell. "It started at dawn this morning and will end at sunset."

"Can we go, Allura? Please?" Blue's Lance begged.

Her Highness frowned slightly and turned to Matron Sharya. "Have there been any more reports of when Chara will arrive?"

"None," was the answer. "I alerted the other sectors and they sent out scouts and riders of their own. Chara was several hundred gojak from here when he was found. He and his escort are moving as quickly as possible, but they won't get here until later this afternoon, possibly tomorrow morning if they run into any incidents or bad weather."

Her Highness cast Green a glance, clearly thinking. Green remained silent. She had always wanted to try dancing, but she would stay if Her Highness ordered it.

"Princess," Support Commander inputted gently, "they'll be nearby if he arrives early. Won't they?" he added to Matron Sharya.

She dipped her head. "But of course. The festival covers the whole village area. The paladins and the Green Lion can find something to their pleasure at the closest venue, if distance is an issue."

"Please, Allura?" Blue's Lance said again and Yellow's Hunk joined him.

"Very well," she acquiesced. "But –" she nearly yelled over the whoops and cheers – "you will be close by. Coran will go with you, as well, in case I need to contact you. Coran…?"

"I've got my communicator right here," Support Commander said, holding up his com-link. "All right, everyone. Time's a-wasting. Come on!"

They excused themselves and raced for the exit, Green right behind them. She nearly bounced with excitement. Dancing! She was going to try dancing!

Support Commander guided them from the Matron's hall down several platforms. They hardly needed him, for the scent of food was heavy on the air and music grew steadily louder.

"Food first!" Blue's Lance announced as soon as he spotted the carts and tables.

Support Commander looked at him aghast. "My boy, you just had lunch!"

"But this is festival food which automatically makes it ten times better," was the retort even as Blue's Lance reached the first of the delectable arrays. He froze abruptly and Green stilled. Was there danger? Could human-mortals smell poison?

Before she could panic more, Blue's Lance said, blushing hard, "Uh, we have to pay, right?"

"On the solstice?" the vendor exclaimed. "Never! And never for a Paladin of Voltron." She snatched up a skewer of slices of various sugared fruits and handed it to him with a smile. Leaning down, she added, "And if anyone tries to get payment from you, you send them to Shahi. I'll set them straight."

Blushing harder, Blue's Lance nodded and grinned. "Sure thing! Thanks, Shahi!"

She winked at him and then nodded to Black's Shiro and Support Commander. Green smiled at her when they locked eyes and couldn't help but notice how Shahi's smile froze on her face when she looked at her. Perhaps, she thought, touching her braids and crown of duskfire, Shurr's ancestral stories of the _lolandomii_ were common tales to tell.

She put it out of her mind as they walked along. Someone gave Support Commander a basket and it wasn't long before it filled with snacks wrapped in leaves and trinkets the Paladins found interesting. Green stayed with the group, though she kept glancing down the way to where the music came from. She said nothing, however, enjoying how much their Paladins and Support Commander were enjoying the food and baubles. They would reach the music eventually.

But when Yellow's Hunk spent longer than a few doboshes eyeing the colourful kites on display, Green couldn't resist any longer. She drifted away, following the music and squeezing through crowds when the way was blocked.

At last, she arrived at the innermost edge of a large group gathered in the middle of the platform. The group ringed an open space and several Chrii danced there. A band consisting of several flutes, drums and what her Paladin would liken unto fiddles kicked up a joyful tune beneath a gazebo draped in flowers. Onlookers clapped along, keeping time, and calling encouragement to the little ones trying the dance for the first time.

Green was silent as she watched the dancers. Steps and turns, pivots and slides, sashays and spins. She canted her head to one side, her eyes flicking from the feet to the hands. It was a pity she didn't have four, like the Chrii, but it was…possible she could manage.

"Green?"

Absently, Green mentally acknowledged the voice far behind her. She was too busy watching, calculating, analysing. The beat was quick: one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four. Green smiled.

"Green Lion?"

Green waited for the downbeat and then she moved, sliding into the dance as if she had known it for all of her existence.

Cheers erupted through the onlookers and dancers alike, dozens of Chrii shining with the knowledge that the Green Lion danced with them. Oh, Green would miss this body's grace when Chara switched them back, but for now, she relished the feeling of her body moving and the music through the air.

-:-:-:-

"How could we have lost her?"

Shiro tried not to flinch at Keith's embittered question. It was Pidge all over again. Every time he had failed to watch out for her. Every time he had failed to protect her. The shishi, the tyr'kai, the giant birds, when she'd been captured by Galra (twice!), when she'd been kidnapped by androids, and every other awful incident or near-death experience. It all ripped through him and he hoped, he prayed, that Green was safe. She had to be safe. If she wasn't…

 _Be calm, my Paladin,_ Black soothed, her purr easing the cold dread in Shiro's heart. _Green's Paladin, though still weak, would be aware if Green Sister was in danger. Be calm, Paladin mine._

It was her gentle reassurance that made him take a deep breath and reach out to take Keith's shoulder. "I'm sure she's fine," he said. "She wouldn't go far and Pidge would alert the Lions if she was hurt."

Hunk and Lance both glanced at him, measuring his words with his conviction, and then nodded.

Keith inhaled shakily. "Yeah. You're right. Sorry, Shiro."

"Hey." Shiro squeezed his shoulder gently. "It's okay to worry. We should look for her, though. We'll split up. Hunk, Lance, take the east side. Coran, the west. Keith, you're with me. We'll check out the-"

At just that moment, several children raced past them. The one in the lead called back to his friends: "Hurry up! Chid said the Green Lion's dancing!"

Shiro's head snapped up and he was already moving before he thought of following, the others keeping at his heels. They weaved through the crowds, and the music he had barely acknowledged grew louder. They were getting closer.

They came to the inner edge of the circling Chrii quite suddenly and Shiro halted so fast that Keith ran into him, but he barely noticed.

Because there she was.

"Paladins. Coran." Shola appeared beside them, the worry in her eyes falling away with a smile. "I was about to come look for you. I spotted Green by herself and was concerned."

Behind him, the others fanned out and he heard Coran say something to Shola in reply. It sounded like gratitude, but Shiro couldn't have been bothered because his eyes were fixed on Green.

With her crown of flowers and braids, she looked like a forest nymph, smiling and so carefree. He had never seen such lightheartedness on Pidge's face before, and it ached his heart to know that it wasn't really Pidge being so happy.

"How'd she know the dance?" Lance asked, his eyes fixed on her as she took a fellow dancer's hand and spun.

"The Green Lion is renowned for her intelligent nature," Shola replied. "I watched her watch the dancers for a few bars before she joined in. She's as natural as a Chrii, though she only has two arms." She waved all four of her hands at them, making Hunk laugh.

The song ended and onlookers and dancers alike applauded the band. Green clapped, as well, beaming.

Just as the musicians were about to kick up another tune, Coran's com-link beeped. Before Coran could say anything, Shiro caught Allura's frantic voice: _"Coran, the Castle's alarm just sounded. We have Galra incoming. Tell the Paladins to head to the platform on the south side of the Matron's hall."_

Shola's eyes widened, and Shiro was suddenly aware of Green who stood next to them.

"They are here, aren't they?" Green asked quietly. She didn't even look back at the dancers who had paused in concern.

Shiro nodded and turned to Shola. "Can we get everyone inside in case they make it to the ground?"

"We can certainly try," Shola said, determination in the set of her jaw. She grabbed the nearest four Chrii and gave them strict instructions.

While she did that, Shiro led his team at a run back to the Matron's hall.

Matron Sharya and Allura waited for them, as did four unknown Chrii. Sharya spoke quickly, "These are our fastest riders. They'll take you back to your Lions. Where is Shola?"

"She's coordinating evacuations," Shiro replied. "Why, what's wrong?"

"We need her to ride with us," said Allura. "You will need the support of the Castle, but none of the gliphonymu are big enough to carry three."

"We can handle a fleet, Allura," Lance said with a dismissive wave.

"Usually. But this time, Voltron is out of the question."

They all glanced at Green, but she had a strange far-away look on her face. She blinked, her expression clearing, and said, "Forgive Green. My Paladin is adamant to assist."

"She must not help!" Allura immediately argued. "Her quintessence is not sufficient for a battle."

"Your Highness, Green knows this," was the cool and calm reply. "Green will not accompany the Paladins to the Castle. Your Highness and Support Commander can reach the Castle within half a varga at most with slower riders, should Team Voltron require support. But if Team Voltron is to safeguard this planet, you must go now." Turning to the four Chrii riders, she bowed her head, her hand over her heart. "Ride swiftly and safely," she said.

And that was that. After taking the swing down to the ground, Shiro sat up on the tall gliphonymu's back and his rider, a quiet fellow named Chisro, murmured, "I thought you were the team leader, Black Paladin."

"Yeah," Shiro said, "but she's the Green Lion."

"Ah."

They said nothing more because they set off and Shiro shut his eyes against the stinging wind and dizzying speed.

-:-:-:-

 _We can't just sit here!_

 _We must, my Paladin._ Green propped her chin in her hand and leaned on the balcony railing. _My Paladin has little quintessence. As it stands, you would last no more than ten or fifteen doboshes if you formed Voltron. So we are staying where we are and we will trust in our Sisters and their Paladins._

 _But they don't even have the Castle!_ her Paladin protested.

 _They will soon. Her Highness and Support Commander left already. They will be at the Castle in twenty doboshes. Be calm, my Paladin. It will be all right._

Her Paladin struggled with accepting the hope of that statement and Green sent a wave of gentle reassurance down their bond. _It will be all right,_ she repeated.

 _How can you be so calm?_ Her Paladin's worry was a spike in Green's heart. There was no maliciousness in her tone and Green understood the source: fear for Team Voltron.

But Green was also afraid. Her Sisters were flying into battle without her and though it was wrong on so many levels, she could do nothing about it. She wanted to be beside her Sisters, but her Paladin's welfare held her back. Overlooking the forest path that led to the Castle, she had never felt so helpless. Fragile, mortal and helpless.

And her Paladin felt even more so, though she occupied the Lion's body. Strong was her armour and fearless was her spirit, but insufficient was her quintessence to maintain the required power for flight and weapons and Voltron.

 _Hurry, Chara,_ their hearts thought simultaneously.

"Green Lion?" Cheychi drew near, his pink eyes disturbed with panic and worry for his people. "We should get inside."

Wooden roofs and walls would do little to protect them from Galran cannons, but Green chose not to say so. "Of course," she said instead and followed him into the Matron's hall.

Dozens of Chrii had already taken refuge there, small children huddled close and nearing tears. Green's heart ached that she couldn't help them by being where she was supposed to be with her Paladin. Nevertheless, she smiled kindly at those who glanced at her and settled in a corner on the floor. Cheychi left to find his siblings, after a parting look at her.

There was nothing anyone could do but wait, but her Paladin refused to be idle.

 _Maybe we can…keep an eye on them?_ her Paladin offered after several moments.

Green blinked at the obvious suggestion. Through the Pride bond. It was doable and it would hopefully ease both of their anxiety. _Yes. Let's do that,_ she said.

Her Paladin opened their bond wide, allowing Green access to the Pride bond. They sank into its tendrils with relief, aware of their Pride Sisters and their Paladins at last.

The relief was short-lived.

 _"Hunk, three on your tail! You gotta shake 'em!"_ Blue's Lance cried.

 _"I'm trying!"_

 _"Shiro, we've got six aiming for the planet. I'm going after them,"_ said Red's Keith, his determination chilly.

 _"Lance, help Keith. I'll help Hunk,"_ ordered Black's Shiro.

There were several intense ticks of wordlessness, but Green and her Paladin were nearly awash with the Lions' nervousness.

 _/Yellow is doubting our chances of victory,/_ Yellow hedged as Black finally arrived to assist Yellow's Hunk.

 _/Red hates to admit it, but…agreed,/_ said Red, even as she blasted the last two fighters out of the sky with one shot from her tail cannon. Fiery debris rained through the atmosphere below, disintegrating into wisps of ash. She turned under Red's Keith's control and aimed for a carrier.

As deep as Green was in the Pride bond, she heard her Paladin butt into the conversation. _/If Green can get to me, I'm willing to fight./_

 _/No!/_ Black and Blue shouted.

 _/No, you mustn't, Green's Paladin,/_ Blue continued more gently, though her fear didn't lessen. _/You don't have enough quintessence to fight./_

 _/But you need help!/_ her Paladin protested.

 _/We will manage,/_ Black said, her tone brooking no argument. _/We must manage./_

Her Paladin seethed but chose not to reply, and Green hurt with their shared desperation. To her surprise, her Paladin retreated from the Pride bond and focussed on her. _They need our help, Green,_ she said.

 _We cannot help. We mustn't help. My Paladin, you would…_

 _No, Green! Forget about me. They need us. They need Voltron!_

Green wavered. Her Paladin was right about that. Japra was doomed if the Lions failed. The Universe was forfeit if they were destroyed or captured. And what of the Paladins? Zarkon would not be kind to his most hated enemies. Would he send them to the gladiator arenas where Black's Shiro had suffered so gruesomely? Would he publicly execute them and broadcast it to all the corners of the Universe so that hope would die with them? Would he give them to the witch Haggar for experimentation?

Green's soul shuddered so hard that her physical body trembled at such horrible possibilities. One thing was certain, however: the Paladins would die.

"My Sisters' hearts," she whispered aloud without meaning to.

Through the bond, her Paladin saw what she meant. The pilots were the Lions' hearts. The Lions had lost before, had had their hearts ripped out before. They had vowed to protect not only each other but the pilots – all five – no matter the cost. Weak though her Paladin was, Green couldn't doubt her heart or resolve to help. Perhaps both would see them through?

Her Paladin replayed a memory file, eliciting Green's own biological memory of that dreadful day on Ghoko's moon.

 _Ours!_ Yellow roared, and Green heard her own agreement echo through the clearing, agreement aimed at enemy fighters and the two weak (and in one case, unconscious) Paladins huddled beneath her Sister's belly.

 _They're ours, Green. You promised_ , was her Paladin's final stroke.

"Yes." Green let her Paladin's confidence fill her brain and body, and her hands curled into fists as she said it out loud. "Yes, Green did."

She was on her feet and moving without a thought, her short legs carrying her with determined purpose towards the exit.

Matron Sharya intercepted her, her eyes flashing with barely restrained anger as she said, "Where are you going, Green Lion?"

 _Uh oh,_ her Paladin muttered.

Green met that furious pink gaze and lifted her chin. "Green goes to aid Team Voltron," she said simply.

"I cannot in good conscience allow you to leave," Matron Sharya said stiffly.

"With all due respect, Matron Sharya, you do not have that power. Green answers to no one but Voltron." With that, Green strode past, but Matron Sharya caught her upper arm.

"I cannot allow you to leave, Green Lion," she hissed, her voice low to avoid drawing attention from the civilians.

Green tossed Matron Sharya's intentions out the airlock. "Let go," she said loudly and nearly smirked at the two dozen sets of eyes that landed on them. On the other side of the room, Shola, Cheychi, Churei and Shurr zeroed in on the conversation and stepped towards them.

Matron Sharya squeezed and Green couldn't hold back a gasp of pain.

 _Green!_ her Paladin cried, feeling the painful grip in her soul.

Green's brain and body chilled. As if Blue Sister had encased her in ice, Green narrowed her eyes. "You doom this planet and the Universe itself if you do not let Green go," she said.

Matron Sharya stiffened, her four eyes blown wide. The hand curled around Green's tricep trembled. She said nothing. But then her grip tightened a fraction more and Green knew that if she squeezed any harder, her arm would break.

If this Chrii broke her Paladin's arm, Green would destroy her.

But then Cheychi's hands were on Matron Sharya's, long fingers pinching specific spots, and Matron Sharya squeaked in pain. Cheychi followed through, catching the wrist and turning his whole body away, yanking his matron with him and effectively breaking her grip without harming Green. Churei loomed at her back, hands at the ready, making Matron Sharya think twice about retaliating and Green wonder just what Churei could do that frightened the matron so badly.

Then Shurr was there, her healing hand gentle around Green's arm even as she pulled her towards the door, Shola behind them and defending their backs. The dozens of Chrii in the room swept back to allow them unhindered passage and then closed ranks in their wake. Matron Sharya would have to fight six dozen of her own people to get to Green.

They made it outside with no further problems and, despite her age, Shurr operated the swing well enough that Green was on the ground within a dobosh, Shola having preferred to jump free-style. A single gliphonymu grazed at the base of the Matron's trees. Without a word, Shola swung Green up onto the animal's back, sat up behind her, and kicked them into a full run.

The forest passed in a green and brown blur. Green closed her eyes against the dizzying speed and focussed instead on her Paladin. _Green is coming, my Paladin. Tell my Sisters we are coming._

-:-:-:-

 _/You mustn't!/_

 _/Green's Paladin, no!/_

 _/Tell Green Sister not to come!/_

 _/Tell her to turn around!/_

Pidge braced herself against the mental barrage of terror and panic and shoved every ounce of will down the Pride bond. _/They're ours!/_ she shouted and silenced the cacophony. _/Our hearts! Our Paladins! Our Voltron! I will not stand by and do nothing!/_

 _/Green's Paladin, we understand your desire to help, but you risk your own life./_ Black's voice was filled with the hope and desperation that Pidge would listen and the confidence that she would because Black was the head of Voltron and the leader.

 _/Black, I understand your desire to protect me, but you risk the universe if I don't try./_

Horrified silence met her and the four Lions wavered under the presented logic.

And then Blue spoke, so quiet and so hesitant that Pidge hardly heard her through the bond. If anything, the words were more the whispers of Blue's heart than concrete thoughts. _/Try not. Do or do not. There is no try./_

Several miles above the planet, in the midst of battle, Black nearly stalled. _/You support this, Blue Sister?/_ she demanded, unable to mask her horror even as she managed to respond to Shiro's control and tear through a fighter.

 _/Yes./_ Resolute and firm. _/Pride Voltron needs help, Black Sister. We cannot protect Japra and our Paladins with just us four. We need our fifth. We need Voltron./_

 _/Black,/_ Pidge said gently when Black hesitated, _/I understand that risking a Paladin – a Sister's heart – is dangerous. I don't want you to have to repeat that kind of heartbreak. I don't want to put anyone through that, least of all Green, but, please, listen. Green accepted the risk. She believes that the risk to my life is lesser than the chances of our defeat if we don't help you now. She is coming and we will help you. To the best of my ability and strength, I will do all I can to make sure we don't fail Japra, our hearts, or the universe itself. Will you accept our help?/_

Despair swirled through the bond. Black did not want to. Red and Yellow didn't want to. Despite Blue's support, she didn't want to, either. They didn't want to risk sacrificing Green's heart for Japra or the universe. Not even for their own hearts. They had vowed to protect all five – all five – and gambling with Pidge's life for the sake of the remaining four Paladins was not something they wanted to do. But they also knew it wasn't up to them. Pidge and Green were coming, whether they liked it or not, whether they wanted them to or not. And if they refused to accept their help, all would certainly be lost. With their discordant refusal, Voltron would not form and they would be defeated.

What would happen to their Paladins if they were defeated?

Pidge braced herself as, for the second time in a handful of minutes, awful possibilities ripped through her soul and processor. The arenas, experimentation, torture, execution, all of it came down to a single end result: death.

If Pride Voltron was defeated, Team Voltron would die.

If Pride Voltron accepted Pidge's help, Team Voltron might live.

 _/Red accepts Green's Paladin's help./_ Red's voice surged through the bond, hot and swift on the heels of that conclusion.

 _/Yellow accepts, as well./_

 _/As does Blue./_

Still, Black hesitated.

Outside the Castle, entering Pidge's sensor range, Shola and Green galloped into the clearing. Shola pulled up by the front door, sliding Green to the ground in a fluid motion, and Green raced inside. Pidge wrapped herself around her, purring hard, as she donned the paladin armour and nearly slipped off the ramp in her haste.

Green's hands were on the controls, the bay doors sliding open, when Black's voice rumbled through Pidge's whole body: _/Black accepts. Please hurry./_

 _Here we go, Green!_ Pidge's gears whirled, her hydraulics shifted, her pistons jumped, and she launched them out of the hangar.

Green flicked a switch, activating Pidge's com system. "Green to Paladins. We're on our way. Stand by."

There were two beats of complete silence and then Shiro spoke. _"Standing by."_ Then: _"Thank you for coming."_

As soon as her paws left the ground, Pidge fell into a mental loop of _Holy crow I'm flying! Green, are you seeing this? I'm flying! This is awesome! This is amazing! Oh, my gosh, Green, how are you still functioning in my body when you get to do this on a regular basis?_

Green laughed and then laughed harder when Pidge repeated herself.

 _I'm flying! I'm flying! This is amazing!_

"Yes, my Paladin. It's truly amazing and you're flying wonderfully." Then, more soberly, she added, "My Paladin's energy levels are holding steady."

 _Are they really? That's great! Hey! I see Blue!_

 _/And Blue sees Green's Paladin,/_ was the humorous reply.

 _/You make good time,/_ Yellow observed with a chortle.

A good thing, too, Pidge thought. The Lions darted and danced through the void, dodging enemy fire and trying to whittle down the constant stream of fighters. Three of the eight carriers drifted in pieces and two more sported some critical damage. The remaining three were relatively unharmed. They certainly had their work cut out for them.

 _"Green, thank goodness!"_ Lance said, snatching at Pidge's attention. _"How's Pidge doing?"_

"She's holding steady," Green answered. "Black's Shiro, shall we?"

It may have been Pidge's imagination, but she swore Shiro hesitated at the same time Black did. But then Shiro spoke, _"Form Voltron!"_ and Black swept the Pride bond wide open.

Green guided her into position, flying parallel with Keith towards Shiro, and then Pidge found some buried instinct kick in. As if she had done it a hundred times before, she clicked and whirred, readjusted and shifted, and she attached herself seamlessly to Black's torso, bringing her shield online without asking. The Pride bond was a now a gaping net rather than single threads that bound them together. It encompassed all five Paladins and all five Lions, and Pidge couldn't see through her visual receptors, but she didn't need to because Black was her eyes and her sensors had the receiving strength of five rather than one.

She did it.

 _"How're you guys doing, Green?"_ Shiro asked over the coms.

Green twirled a dial, shifted the left gear, and grinned. "We are operational, Black's Shiro. We are, as you human-mortals say, ready to kick some –"

 _"Incoming!"_ Lance shouted.

Pidge reacted instantly, throwing herself into the line of fire. The ion blast struck squarely, but the shield held. She did her best to mask the pain that rippled through her processor and was relieved when neither Lion nor Green commented. It could have been a fluke and Pidge prayed that it was. She had to hold on.

 _"Wahoo! Yeah, Pidge!"_ triumphed Hunk.

 _Head in the game, Green,_ Pidge said, grateful her voice was steady. _Listen to Shiro now. Do as he says, and I'll do the rest._

"Yes, my Paladin."

Shiro surged them forward and Pidge lifted the shield to protect their body as they slammed through a carrier.

 _"Form sword!"_

They did and the pain was more than a ripple as it swept from her processor down her back as they danced through the melee. Green didn't notice the tiny blip on one of the holoscreens, but someone else did.

 _/Green's Paladin?/_ Red asked. _/Are you all right?/_

 _/Trying to be,/_ Pidge couldn't help but say.

Instead of protesting or encouraging her to let go, Black, Blue, Red and Yellow washed through her, pouring strength into her systems so that the blip vanished. Pidge reached back with mental claws, hooking herself into the bond that was Voltron rather than solely Pride Voltron.

 _/It will be all right, Green's Paladin,/_ Black assured her. _/Hold on for a while longer./_

Pidge could do that. She had to be able to do that.

She made herself do that.

She held on as they plowed through fighters, their sword swinging, slashing and stabbing, and their shield up to deflect ion shots. She held on as the minutes ticked by and the fleet thinned and she could _feel_ her energy levels drop. That blip returned, as did several more, warning of the inevitable.

 _Hold on, my Paladin,_ Green encouraged. _We're almost done. We're almost victorious. Just a little while longer._

The fighters retreated, condensing around their last carrier to defend it.

 _"That ion cannon's powering up,"_ Hunk warned just as two more warnings flashed on Pidge's holoscreen.

"Black's Shiro, my Paladin is struggling to maintain power," Green announced. "Green has rerouted several secondary systems to keep the shield's power above fifty percent, but Green doesn't know how much longer my Paladin can hold on."

Steely determination was in Shiro's voice as he said, _"All right, guys. We need to end this now."_

That determination was mirrored in Lance's, Hunk's and Keith's agreement, and Pidge smiled to herself just as Shiro launched them forward, sword and shield raised.

They took out the first line of fighters and were barrelling through the second when the carrier's cannon fired.

Pidge was almost too slow to respond to Green's control. Almost. Voltron was unharmed, but that didn't stop the pain. The shield vanished as its power level plummeted to below fifteen percent with the single hit and a klaxon blared through the cockpit as the life support systems glitched. Pidge instantly rerouted all power from auxiliary systems to those crucial systems and the alarm turned off.

 _"Green! What's happening?"_ four voices shouted.

"My Paladin's systems are failing!" Green cried. "Green has lost control for all weapons. My Paladin cannot hold onto Voltron."

 _"That was the life support alarm!"_ Keith cut in.

"Yes." Green's fingers flew across the holoscreens. "Currently, more than half of my Paladin's power is being diverted to life support and heating, but that power is draining rapidly while formed with Voltron."

Shiro's command was instantaneous: _"Let go. Let go of Voltron now. Keith, Lance, cover Green when she needs it. Hunk, you and I will focus on the carrier."_

They broke apart and relief coursed through Pidge's circuits, a huge weight falling from her body and processor. Red and Blue swarmed closer as she listed, fighting to stabilise herself.

"My Paladin, we must return to the Castle," Green begged, her hands on the controls.

Just then a very different voice came over the coms. _"Green Lion, as proud as I am that you decided to assist Voltron, even at the risk of Pidge's well-being, we're going to have to have a serious discussion about leaving us out of that decision."_

 _"Allura!"_ several of the Paladins greeted, but Pidge knew Green was uninterested.

"Your Highness, are you on the Bridge?" she demanded.

 _"Yes. We also just received word that Chara is on his way here. He's not going to the Matron's hall. He's coming to the Castle. Shiro, do you still need our assistance?"_

 _"Negative, Allura,"_ Shiro replied. _"Wait for Chara. Green, get Pidge planet-side. Lance, go with her. If Pidge's systems fail, your Lion's big enough to tow her."_

 _"Copy that,"_ Lance said grimly.

 _"Oh, and Green?"_ Shiro's face appeared on the communications screen. His face was solemn and worried as he said, _"Take care of our Pidge."_

Green nodded resolutely. "Yes, Black's Shiro. Come, Blue's Lance. We haven't a tick to waste."

With that, Black, Red and Yellow raced towards the Galran ships while Green turned Pidge towards Japra, Blue on her right flank.

They entered the atmosphere and Pidge winced as her armour heated. She threw what power wasn't being used for life support into shielding herself from burning up, but it wasn't much. Warnings flared across her cortex and Green's holoscreens.

 _"Green?"_ Lance's voice was timid and frightened as he now-doubt heard the alarms through the coms.

Green blinked once, twice, and tears gathered in her eyes. Those tears burned in Pidge's soul. "Blue's Lance…my Paladin is dying."

 _"Not today,"_ Lance growled. _"Not today, do you hear me, Green? You, too, Pidge! You're not dying today! …"_ His voice slurred and Pidge lost track of what he was saying.

Then she heard Green.

"Please, my Paladin," she begged, tears in her voice and on her face. "Please hold on. We're almost there. Hold on, my Paladin-Pidge. Please hold on."

 _You said my name,_ Pidge thought with a dazed purr. _It's nice to hear you say it._

"And Green wishes for my Paladin-Pidge to hear Green say it some more. Please, my Paladin-Pidge. We are almost to the Castle of Lions. We're almost there, my Heart."

The Lions filtered through, their voices blurring together like Lance's. _/Green's Pidge! Stay awake, Green's Pidge! Stay strong, precious Heart!/_

Heart… What did a heart do again? Something important…

"Yes, yes, my Heart. My Paladin-Pidge is important. My Paladin-Pidge is Green's Heart. Green cannot live without my Paladin-Pidge."

 _Lived without…other paladin – paladins? – before. Can do it…again._

"Green doesn't want to! Green wants my Paladin-Pidge to stay. Green wants no other. Green cannot have another!"

 _Silly Green. Silly Lion. There is…always…another._ And as she said it, she knew exactly who it would be. _Matt. Find…Matt… Green?_

"Green is here. Green is here, my Heart."

Pidge's words were failing and so she filled Green's end of the bond with Matt. His intellect and curiosity. His drive to excel and his comforting heart. He wasn't as daring as she was, sometimes he was downright timid, but maybe Green could help him with that?

"Green will try, my Paladin-Pidge. Green promises."

Japra loomed in front of them, the meadow coming upon them with such speed that Pidge half-wondered how she hadn't noticed. She realised too late that nothing was working. None of her systems responded, save for the barely-sustained life support. She couldn't slow down and so they hit the ground at terminal velocity, sending up a spray of dirt.

The Castle was several metres away. She didn't make it. Her claws dug into the ground, tried to haul herself closer…just a bit closer. But no. All kinds of warnings flashed through her cortex, and she was still twenty-seven metres from her hangar doors.

Pidge fought to say one last thing, think one last thing… The words were nearly gone. Bits and pieces of images and feelings flickered through their bond: leaning up against a warm paw, huddling beneath a protective stance, asking and answering, fond pats on the dash, rumbling purrs in her head… My Paladin… My Paladin-Pidge… My Heart… Mine…

And she found her words. _Mine, too. My heart, too. Miss you. Miss you already._

 _/Green's Pidge! Stay awake!/_

Pidge dropped the ramp – she would not trap Green inside – and the last of her systems shut down at the same instant that someone shouted and something hot hit her head.

The world spun, blackened, and then seared in a painful white before it darkened once again.

She fancied that she heard voices.

Pidge.

Green's Pidge?

Stay with us, Pidge.

Just another tick.

She doesn't have a tick!

Pidge, can you hear me?

If you can hear me, Pidge, squeeze my hand.

Green's Pidge? Stay, Green's Pidge.

Stay with Green, my Heart. Don't go where Green cannot follow.

She's crashing!

Don't go, my Heart…

-:-:-:-

It was the terror of losing Pidge and the awful thought of never seeing her again that spurred Shiro, Keith and Hunk to _rip_ through the last of the Galran fighters. As the carrier exploded, a soundless wave of dying fire, they wheeled around as one and dived for Japra.

Shiro could hardly focus, caught between piloting his Lion, his worry for Pidge, his hope that Chara will be in time, and the one-sided conversation taking place in Green's helmet coms that broadcasted to the four other paladin helmets.

Desperation. _"…We're almost there, my Heart."_

Despair. _"…Green cannot live without my Paladin-Pidge."_

Denial. _"…Green wants no other. Green cannot have another!"_

Heartbroken compliance. _"…Green will try, my Paladin-Pidge. Green promises."_

They were still a couple miles above the ground, but the impact was still visible. A plume of dirt shot into the air, obscuring everything, and Lance's voice was tear-filled as he spoke. _"They just crashed. Setting Blue down now."_

Shiro landed a handful of seconds later, Keith and Hunk around him. He raced from his Lion to Pidge who lay on her side, her eyes dark and her ramp down. A dozen Chrii converged around a solitary figure on the ground – Green? Was she thrown? No. No, it was a Chrii. He sat up slowly and that was when Shiro stopped paying attention to him.

He was inside the Lion and slamming to a halt beside Coran and Allura. Coran held a bio-scanner and Allura's hand rested on a hovering gurney.

Pidge's body lay in the chair – was it Green or Pidge behind those closed eyes? – completely limp and unresponsive. He took her hand, crouching beside her. He was sure he spoke to her, as did Coran and Allura, possibly even Lance, Keith and Hunk since they were in here, too. It was crowded, but Shiro didn't focus on that. His heart pounded somewhere in his stomach or in his throat, blood roaring in his ears and drowning out the words and the bio-scanners beeps until Allura's voice, high and desperate and terrified, punctured the haze surrounding him.

"A pod won't help her quintessence, Coran!"

Shiro's head snapped up in time to see Coran stand. Their amiable, easy-going friend looked her dead in the eyes and replied, "She needs a pod to stabilise. Her heart's too weak. Her body must stabilise if it is to regenerate quintessence. Shiro, help me."

Shiro obeyed, standing, and his hands took Pidge and put her on the hover bed. Instant alarms rang out, alerting even the dead of Pidge's precarious health. Coran left at a run to prepare the pod, leaving Shiro to take the bed to the infirmary.

 _Hurry, my Paladin!_ Black urged, her voice startling him. _Green's Paladin has no time to waste._

The others made way as Shiro rushed out of…Green. It was Green, the Green Lion. Pidge was here. Pidge was back in her body.

Pidge was still dying.

Time seemed to jump, warping ahead in a blur only to stabilise again at random moments.

Shiro pushed the gurney with Pidge on it into the Castle. Warp. Shiro entered the infirmary, the others behind him. Warp. Shiro barely heard Coran's order to take Pidge's armour off. Warp. Many hands helping. Warp. Pidge was now out of her armour.

And then time resumed.

Shiro blinked, then blinked again in confusion. She still wore her flower crown. It was in ruins, the flowers crushed and the grass bent and broken, and several petals were missing. Her braids were in shambles, stray hairs sticking out.

 _She must have forgotten about them,_ he mused absently. _She'd worn her helmet over top of them._

While Coran worked furiously, Shiro found himself reaching for Pidge's hair. He carefully removed the flowers, set them to the side, and his fingers teased the braids loose. Hunk appeared at his side to take the pins before they could fall to the floor.

"Shiro!" Coran called.

Fighting back his tears, Shiro picked her up and settled her into the pod. As the barrier fell into place, so did a stray duskfire fall from her hair. It landed outside the pod. Without thinking, Shiro bent down and picked it up.

"Well. That's all we can do for now," Coran said, looking every year of his more-than ten thousand years.

"Will she be all right?" Allura dared to ask.

Coran shook his head. "I honestly don't know. If she doesn't stabilise in the next few quintants, I doubt she ever will. All we can do now is…wait."

No one said anything.

Shiro looked down at the sad, little flower. Pinched between his fingers, it had only two of its vibrant petals and its stem was broken, its head dangling by a few sparse threads.

 _Black,_ he despaired. _What do I do, Black? What do I do?_

Black could offer no advice or suggestion to soothe his aching heart and her purr was as broken as the flower.

-:-:-:-

Pidge stayed in the pod for three days before Coran let her out, daring to be confident that her heart wouldn't stop beating. She was set on a med-bed, a nutrients patch was applied thrice a day, and she was watched around the clock. They took turns sitting with her, talking to her, holding her hands and asking her to squeeze if she could hear them. Hunk brushed her hair every day, and Keith reminded her that they had a race planned and she couldn't chicken out. Lance sang quietly in Spanish and Allura recounted some of her favourite stories from when she was a child. Coran hummed to himself, a bio-scanner resting on his knee, and Shiro held her hand and was silent.

A week.

It felt like a year. It felt like ten thousand years. It felt like stasis and everything was frozen, no sense of time or self, just…existing in the black.

But then the week ended.

-:-:-:-

Pidge awoke slowly, her senses reeling. For a brief second, she thought she could smell her mom's peanut butter cookies, and then she swore she heard the clatter of the Garrison's commissary. White light flashed in her mind's eye, phantom terror and agony racing each other through her veins.

Then…

 _My Heart._ Green thrummed in her mind, chasing the ghosts away. _Wake up, my Heart. Open your eyes._

 _Do I have eyes?_ Pidge wondered absently.

 _Find out, my curious and daring Paladin-Pidge._

Pidge obeyed, smiling a little. The blackness lightened to grey, then to hazy white. Wasn't that the infirmary's ceiling?

Wait a minute. The infirmary was too small to hold a Lion. Was she…? Could it be…?

She opened her eyes further and there – there, there, there! – was a hand. She flicked her fingers. The hand's fingers moved. She turned her head – her head! – felt her hair brush her cheek, and raised her hand to sweep it out of her eyes. The movement was so familiar and yet so strange. She smiled as she leaned back against the soft pillows cradling her back and neck. It was a good strange. It wouldn't take long for it to not be strange anymore.

 _Welcome back, precious Heart,_ said Green.

Pidge smiled and sent a wave of love and gratitude down her bond. Green purred with pleasure. _My Paladin-Pidge has learned much._

 _So have you. I see you're still using my name._

 _Ah. Yes._ Mild embarrassment fluttered along the bond. _Green doesn't wish to be rude…_

 _I like it when you say it,_ Pidge interrupted gently.

 _Green likes it, too, my Paladin-Pidge. My Sisters are happy and relieved you are awake._

 _Speaking of…_ Pidge sat up, looked around and blinked at how full the infirmary was.

Obviously nighttime, there were mattresses and blankets all across the floor. She spotted Allura, curled up like a cat, and Coran was a respectful distance from her – though maybe that was because he lay sprawled like a starfish. Shiro and Keith were side by side and facing each other. In the auxiliary light, Keith's face glinted with fresh tears, twisting Pidge's heart. On Shiro's other side were Lance and Hunk, Hunk somehow managing to fit in the curve of Lance's stomach. There was no sound but for their gentle breathing and the occasional rustle of blankets.

Pidge smiled at them, this ragtag bunch of aliens and humans that had somehow become family to her.

 _My Paladin-Pidge has become family to them, too,_ Green put in proudly.

Smiling wider, Pidge piled her blankets in her arms, tossed her legs over the side of her bed, and stood up.

As soon as her skin left the bed, alarms ripped through the air. Pidge froze when everyone jerked awake, Coran shouting her name, even though he wasn't yet upright. Their terror locked her in place.

So it was that when everyone expected to find Pidge in some kind of medical distress and instead found her standing on her own two feet, her arms full of blankets, and looking for all the 'verse like she was about to join them on the floor, they stilled.

The medical klaxons continued to blare, but everyone stared at Pidge and Pidge stared at everyone without moving and without saying anything.

Then: "Holy quiznak," Lance hissed. "Pidge?"

"Um," said Pidge. "Yeah?"

No one could hear her over the alarms and Coran finally composed himself enough to turn them off with his holopad.

The resultant silence was deafening, Pidge's ears still ringing. "Um," she said again. "I didn't mean to wake everyone up."

"Oh, my gosh, Pidge!" Hunk lurched forward and swept her off her feet, blankets and all, and spun her in a circle. "Are you okay? How are you feeling? Do you feel dizzy?"

"I do now," Pidge muttered. "Please, Hunk. I'd really love to not throw up on you."

"Sorry, sorry!" He set her back on her feet, only to grab her up again in a hug. "Oh, my gosh, Pidge! You're awake and alive!"

Pidge was about to fire back some kind of retort but then thought the better of it. "I'm okay, Hunk. Just a little tired. I'm sorry I woke everyone."

"Pidge, you always have to make some kind of entrance." Allura beamed at her and touched her cheek with the back of two fingers. "How are you feeling, truly?"

"Tired and…my skin feels too big right now."

"That will pass," Coran said, grinning through tears. "It is good to have you back again, Number Five."

"I didn't go anywhere," she pointed out. "But, yeah. Me, too."

"All right, all right, stop hogging her, Hunk!" Lance butted in, but all Hunk did was turn slightly so Lance could hug Pidge from behind. "You have no idea how good it is to see you, Pidgey."

"I can imagine," she whispered to the blankets that were nearly smothering her.

"Shiro, Keith, come here," Allura said briskly. "This is a perfect time for a group hug!"

"Yay! Group hug!" Hunk squeezed Pidge tighter – if that were possible. Pidge squeaked on a laugh, but then Keith and Shiro were there, smiling at her with their arms wrapped around each other and Lance and Hunk and her, and Allura and Coran fitted in nicely on the other side. Green purred hard, deep and long, enveloping her in her love.

And in that moment, all was well.

-:-:-:-

For the next few days, all Pidge did was eat and sleep. Well, she also sat in the meadow with Shola, Churei and Cheychi and some gliphonymu. Hunk braided her hair and then taught Keith, and Lance made flower crowns for everyone as they basked in the sunshine, sometimes rising early enough for a sunrise or staying up late enough for a sunset. Pidge bathed her toes in the brook and ate soups and light sandwiches, and drank milkshakes Lance made. They shared stories and laughed at Shiro's attempts to ride a gliphonymu by himself (he was too short).

Pidge met Chara and Matron Sharya – smiled at Chara and glared at the matron because she knew what she had done to Green. She thanked Chara and Shola for helping her and her Lion, and reintroduced them to her. Green purred at their meeting, though did not nuzzle, and Pidge caught the fleeting thought that nuzzling was specially reserved for special people.

She slept and ate and basked in the sunshine with friends and yet…something was missing. Or rather, someone.

She missed Pride Voltron, the feeling of four Sisters in her head, loving her and encouraging her. She missed them. And she wondered if they missed her, too. More than that, she wanted to thank them for being what they had to her. They had accepted her into their circle of immortal loyalty, despite her being a flawed and mortal human.

Restlessness tugged Pidge from her bed late one night, guiding her footsteps to a hangar that wasn't hers. Peeking around the door, she looked up, way, way up, at Black.

"Hey," she said, shuffling forward in her slippers and robe. "It's me. Well, of course it's me, but…you know…" There was no response, so Pidge kept going. "So, um, I know I can't hear you anymore, but I just want you to know, um…thanks. Thank you for everything, and I'm really glad you have Green back." She bowed her head, wanted to say the words 'I miss you', and her confidence failed. "So, uh, yeah. That's it, I guess," she finished lamely.

She turned to go when a rumbling purr shook the hangar and made her turn back around. Black's eyes lit up and she crouched down, bringing her massive muzzle right to Pidge's chest. Pidge wrapped her arms around as much as she could reach and leaned into Black. "Miss you," she whispered.

Green was suddenly _very there_ in her mind, and Pidge felt her soul being enveloped once more in the comfort and love that could only come from Pride Voltron, from Red and Blue, Yellow and Black, from all of them. _Pride Voltron wished to relay their heart-thoughts to my Paladin-Pidge,_ Green said with a purr.

Pidge laughed, tears cascading down her cheeks, and hugged Black's nose harder. "I guess it's kind of impossible to miss someone who's still here," she said.

It was because Green was wrapped around her with all of the Lions that Pidge heard a whisper as wide and deep as a night sky: _Just a little impossible._

-:-

And that's the end of "Switched"! It was quite the ride and turned out better (and longer!) than I had ever dreamed of.

Thank you for reading! Please review.


	31. Chapter 31: Prelude

**Special Thanks to: LorBellNinjaSpider** (for your double reviews), **Gravtron1** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **SilverStorm5** , **Cait162000** , **The Dusk Terror** , **WolvesRock14** , **EmmyCat** , **Selena Snow** , **Chise Yukki** , **October heart** , **TMNT-Queen** , **Kai** (your review almost made me cry! Thank you so much!), **Kayla05w** , **erebororbust** , **ChthonicUnraveling** , **BHMSZero** , **SmolBirdy5** , **CrazyRedmanelion** , **Alkirian** , **kelli n c** , **TeenTitansFanForever02** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Guest** (in answer to your question, this is based on the 2016 series), thank you so, so, so much for your kind reviews! You are all fantastic! **  
**

 **Author's Note:** There was nothing about what ranking system the Galaxy Garrison uses, so I've taken artistic license and used USA's navy ranks (a safe assumption because 'admiral' was used in the show). This is a pre-TSBBL one-shot, before Shiro returned to Earth in Season One, Episode One. Also, I was unable to find a certain character's last name and took artistic license with it, too.

 **Dedication:** For **HiImDelta** who prompted me.

 _Chapter 31: Prelude_

Pidge breathed a sigh of relief and set her bag down. She'd made it. She'd snuck away. She was on the roof of Galaxy Garrison once more and no one had spotted her. Unpacking all of her equipment, she turned it on and put on her headphones. "All right," she murmured to herself. "What do you have for me tonight?"

"What are you doing up here, Cadet?"

Pidge froze and turned ever so slowly. Her heart leaped into her mouth at the sight of the dark uniform and multiple shoulder bars. "Lieutenant Commander!" she squeaked, jumping to her feet and saluting. She'd had just enough sense to whip off her headphones before they'd yanked her back to the ground.

She had never seen him before and in the darkness, she couldn't make out the name stitched over his left breast pocket.

She could, however, make out how wide his eyes were behind his glasses when she faced him. And then her heart stopped when he said, so quietly and filled with so much horror, " _Matt?_ "

Pidge trembled, but rallied, "Uh, no, sir. Sorry, sir. I'm, uh, Pidge. Pidge Gunderson."

"Oh." He looked her up and down for a moment, his entire body relaxing, and then said, "My apologies. I mistook you for someone else."

She forced herself to shrug. "That's okay, sir," she said. "I get that all the time."

He nodded, believing her, but then his eyes narrowed. "Hm. What are you doing out of bed? You're breaching curfew, Cadet."

"Oh. Yeah. Right. Well, um, you see…"

"Whose equipment is that?" he interrupted and pointed behind her, his brow low and threatening.

Pidge looked, half-worried that something had magically transported her equipment away and substituted it all with someone else's stuff. But, no. It was all hers, waiting patiently for her to return to it. "It's mine, sir," she replied, looking back at the Lieutenant Commander.

"Yours? Where'd you get it?"

"I, um, built it."

Those fair eyebrows shot toward his hairline. "You built it?"

"Yes, sir."

He was silent for a few moments and Pidge shuffled nervously. A beep behind her made her jump and whirl around. Her monitor. It had detected something.

"Something the matter, Cadet?" Lieutenant Commander Name Unknown said, freezing her in the action of checking.

She turned back around. "No. No, sir. It's just…" She glanced over her shoulder and didn't finish.

"What are you doing up here?" The way he asked didn't sound like he cared anymore that she was breaching curfew. He was genuinely curious.

"Um, well, I'm, uh, tracking…stuff."

"Stuff."

"Mm hm. Important stuff. Very hush-hush." She tried for deflection and humour, but he didn't buy it.

Crossing his long arms over his chest, he said, "Does Commander Iverson know about this 'stuff'?"

"If he does, I will _bury_ him." The sudden savagery in her tone alarmed her and she hurried to cover it up. "That is, I really don't think so. And it would be a huge scandal if it ever came to light that he did know something and, uh…"

"Easy, Cadet. Slow down." Lieutenant Commander walked the last few feet to her and bent his head to look at her monitor. He was a tall fellow, so it looked quite funny. "What is it you're tracking exactly?"

"...Chatter," she admitted.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Chatter that is not…exactly, technically from…Earth." Pidge said it very slowly, mortified that her loose tongue was betraying her to a superior officer. She was so dead.

"Aliens? You're tracking alien conversation?" His head snapped up and he stared at her hard.

In the glow of the computer screen, she could see his name now: Wasinski, A.

"I didn't say aliens…" she began.

"But it's aliens," he finished. "What are they saying? Can you understand them?"

"Not really, but I keep picking up a word that's repeated a lot." Pidge scooped up her notebook and flipped to the right page, turning it around to show him.

"Voltron?" Wasinski asked, perplexed. "What's that?"

"I think it's some kind of weapon. Whoever these guys are, they really, really want it."

"And that would be bad?"

"I honestly don't know."

Wasinski made a 'hm' sound in the back of his throat and examined her notebook and her monitor. "Gunderson," he said at last. "I've heard that name before."

Pidge's heart hammered in her chest. "It's a common last name where I'm from. Big families, you know?" she managed to say.

"Yes. Understandable. You're the kid who was fast-tracked, right? Straight to third year."

"Yes, sir. That's right."

"I saw your file. Your grades were off the chart."

"Thank you, sir."

He smiled at her. "You know who also had grades that high? Matthew Holt."

Horror plunged through her whole body. She couldn't speak. Couldn't find anything to say. She was so dead.

But Wasinski kept smiling. "I seem to recall Holt having a younger sister. She was about your age and size. But she had long hair and she didn't have glasses. Both are so easy to remedy." When Pidge didn't say anything, he continued in that amiable tone. "Breaking and entering the Garrison is one thing, but committing identity fraud to do it again when someone has been banned from the premises?" He shook his head, still smiling. "That person would go to jail, as would anyone who assisted them."

Mom. Her mom. Her mom would go to jail and Pidge would go to juvie because she was only fourteen. By the stars, she'd probably be put into foster care after. She'd be a ward of the state. She would be all alone.

"Here's what I don't understand, Gunderson." The usage of her false name snapped Pidge out of her horror-struck reverie. "Why are you convinced Iverson would suffer a massive scandal if you came forward with the fact that aliens exist and are talking?"

Pidge swallowed hard. She swallowed her terror and her nerves. _Courage, Pidge,_ she told herself. _Courage for Dad and Matt and Mom._ "Because the Kerberos Mission's report is wrong."

Whatever she expected, it wasn't shock. Wasinski went white under his tan. "Say that again, Cadet."

She took a deep breath and said, "Galaxy Garrison told the world that the Kerberos crew died in a crash. I found the files. They didn't crash. There was no evidence of a crash – besides the fact that Matt sent regular coded messages to me for months. He told me they landed safely and he told me about some of the stuff they were doing."

"I'm going to gloss over the fact that you and your brother were illegally conversing on a top-secret mission and go back to what you said about there being no evidence. How do you know that?"

Pidge took a deep breath. "The ship was designed to take pictures in a complete three-hundred-and-sixty-degree radius at regular intervals as soon as it touched ground. Those pictures were sent back to the Garrison as part of a weekly info dump of the crew's goings-on."

"Okay, right. That makes sense."

"It was still taking pictures after the crew disappeared. I saw the dates on the photos. The ship was upright and functional and still on Kerberos after Commander Holt failed his check-in."

"So what are you saying? You're saying they were…abducted?"

"I don't know. I mean, it's possible… It's the only logical…" Tears stung her eyes and she bit them back fiercely because she _would not_ cry in front of an officer. Taking another deep breath, she continued, "That's why I'm up here. That's why I'm monitoring. I picked up alien conversation by Neptune two days ago and whoever is talking is getting closer. They reached Jupiter last night."

"They're moving fast," Wasinski whispered.

Pidge nodded. "Faster than anything we have."

Wasinski frowned and straightened, his face falling to military-mode. "We have to alert the Garrison. We need to be prepared."

"Prepared _how_?" Pidge demanded. "We have nothing that could repel these guys – especially if they find Voltron."

"Then we need to find it first – whatever it is." He looked down at her, thinking. Pidge could almost see the wheels turn in his head. "Gunderson –" Why did he keep using her false name if he knew the truth? – "I'm about to do something very stupid. I'm going to let you continue to be Pidge Gunderson on Garrison property. I'm going to let you continue monitoring those aliens and I won't breathe a word to anyone. If the truth about who you are comes to light, I will defend you. If it's the last thing I do, I will keep your mother from going to jail and you from juvie. But I need you to do something for me."

Reeling from relief, Pidge could hardly speak, but she said, "Okay?"

"I need you to find out what happened to Takashi Shirogane."

Pidge snapped a salute and said, "Yes, sir, Lieutenant Commander."

He smiled at her and pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "And if I find you out here again, you can call me Adam." He held his hand out to her.

"And you can call me Katie," Pidge answered, shaking his hand.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review.


	32. Chapter 32: Pride Voltron

**Special Thanks** to: **Fluehatraya** , **KatieGunderson** , **theadventurer4** , **CrazyRedmanelion** , **The Oracle Turret** , **October heart** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **SpiritFighter208** , **TMNT-Queen** , **elfqueen13** (your reviews of Chapters 1 and 2), **Raxicoricofallapatoreous** (OH MY GOODNESS, I LOVE YOUR USERNAME! I love Nine so much!), **TeenTitansFanForever02** , **Guest** , **Alkirian** , **kelli n c** , **TheDiamondSword400** , **RavenNighwing42** , **BHMSZero** , **EmmyCat** , **wildkat0909** , **GreenPadalinPidge** , **Guest** (your review of Chapter 12 and in answer to your question, please see the summary), **NEXTGEN** (your reviews of Chapters 30 and 31), **FanGirlOfEveryone** , **AlecGateway** , **Guest** , **Tiggerlily2213** , **rainbowrider1290** , **Guest** , **Silexwitch** , **CalYourPal** , **That One Guest** , **Guest** , **Sketchbananafairy** (your reviews of Chapters 9, 12, and 19), and **Fir3danc3r** (glad to hear from you again! I hope life has been going all right). Thank you a dozen times over for your reviews! They really help motivate me to continue writing. Hugs to you all!

 **Author's Note:** Just a bit of a heads up for the dialogue because this one's a little funky:

"Voltron" dialogue spoken aloud.

 _Voltron_ thoughts.

 _/Voltron/_ dialogue between Lions, and conversations in the Pride bond.

 **Dedication:** To **Riku Courtier**. I agree that the world could do with a little less hate.

 _Chapter 32: Pride Voltron_

 _/Sisters…?/_

Green slowly pulled her attention away from her Paladin-Pidge, who was in the middle of refereeing an arm-wrestling match between Blue's Lance and Red's Keith, and focussed on Blue. _/What is it, Blue Sister?/_ In the Pride bond, she knew the others listened, too.

 _/Blue has been thinking./_

 _/That is dangerous, Sister,/_ Yellow snickered, which earned her a sigh from Black. Sheepishness wafted through the bond a tick later. _/Apologies, Blue. Continue./_

 _/Blue has been thinking…about Green's Pidge./_

Surprise sparked through four processors and Green withdrew all of her attention from her Paladin-Pidge to Blue. She couldn't help the slight wariness in her tone as she said, _/About what, precisely?/_

 _/Blue can't help but think about Green's Pidge's initial fear of Pride Voltron. She feared retaliation from us when the Switch occurred./_

 _/Ah. Yes./_ Black shuffled uncomfortably in her hangar, and the memory of her reaction to that revelation stabbed at them.

 _/It took you by surprise, Sister,/_ Green purred at her. _/Your reaction was understandable./_

Black's muted acceptance of that statement, and the forgiveness that accompanied it, washed through them all. She purred in reply, giving Green a mental nudge.

 _/So what has you worried?/_ Red asked Blue.

 _/Blue wonders if Green's Pidge is not alone in that fear. Team Voltron associates with his or her own Lion. They do not associate with Pride Voltron./_

 _/What about Voltron itself?/_ Yellow asked. _/We are all bonded when Voltron is formed. Ten become one./_

 _/Blue does not dispute that, but Voltron is not Pride Voltron. Green's Pidge trusted Voltron because Team Voltron and Green are a part of it. Green's Pidge did not – and understandably could not – trust Pride Voltron without them. Not at first./_

This logic was met with silence. It made sense. Green knew that her Paladin-Pidge had been mortally afraid of retribution from the Lions, knew that her trust in Green had only covered Green. It had been an overwhelming relief to learn that not only had Pride Voltron allayed her Paladin-Pidge's fears, but had also welcomed her and encouraged her and let her feel the Pride's all-encompassing love for their Paladins as a team and as individuals. Pride Voltron loved each of their Hearts, but they also loved each other's Hearts. Such was the way for which they had been created, and such was the way for and by which they lived and fought, until the Universe itself ceased.

Pulling herself out of this reverie, Green said, _/What do you suggest?/_

Blue's answer was as without hesitation as it was firm and confident: _/An exercise. Team Voltron will learn of Pride Voltron, and there will be no more fear or doubt./_

She showed them what she meant and Green was taken aback by how straightforward it was; they should have done this long ago. But she smiled and purred, her agreement blooming across the bond. _/Green likes this./_

 _/Will it work?/_ Yellow wondered.

 _/It will,/_ both Blue and Green replied, and Green continued, _/for it has already worked for one./_

 _/Indeed./_ Black swelled around them, enveloping them. _/Well done, Blue Sister. This will be a day to remember for us all./_

-:-:-:-

Pidge was consoling Lance over his loss at Keith's superior strength when Green nudged her gently along their bond. _Paladin-Pidge, my Heart. Pride Voltron has something to say to Team Voltron. Please tell Her Highness to open the hangar doors, and come outside._

Pidge blinked twice in surprise and then looked up at Lance whose overdramatic, weepy expression had changed to confusion. He, too, had received the summons, and going by Hunk's and Keith's faces, so had they.

"So, uh, are we really doing this?" Hunk asked, his hands fidgeting.

"Oh, come on, guys," Pidge groaned as she trotted away and towards the door. "It's Pride Voltron. What they have to say is probably very important. Besides," she added, smirking over her shoulder, "it won't be the first time you've let the Lions out."

"Yeah," said Lance slowly. "Yeah, I guess so. You're right." He perked up, finding confidence in Pidge's confidence and his Lion. "I'll find Allura. Meet you guys out there."

Pidge grinned. "Come on, Hunk. It won't be bad. I promise."

Still clearly nervous, Hunk followed, Keith a quiet shadow at his heels while Lance ran from the dining room.

-:-:-:-

"All right. We're all here."

Pidge glanced at Shiro who stood firm and confident as always. Looking at him more closely, though, she caught the tightness around his eyes and his stiff shoulders. Hunk was not the only one who was nervous.

She had no chance to dwell on it, however, as Blue and Yellow came around the east side of the Castle and Black, Green and Red came around the west side. They walked carefully, each paw strategically placed so as not to upset the ground and therefore their Paladins' balance. Pidge smiled at Green's precision and sent her a wave of amusement. Green returned it with a mental smirk and Pidge giggled.

The Lions came much closer than anticipated. Only a few yards away, they settled to the earth, tails curled against their sides and chins resting on massive paws.

"So what now?" Keith whispered.

 _Now,_ said Green, and Pidge had the distinct impression that all five Lions spoke in tandem to each of their Paladins, _you sit with us. Open the bond. We have important things to discuss._

"Right," Shiro exhaled shakily. "Okay, guys. Take a seat."

Pidge was already sat, right in front of Green's nose. Physical contact was not needed to strengthen the bond, but Pidge reached out anyway, her tiny palm meeting the warm, smooth metal. She closed her eyes and helped Green fling their bond wide open. A chasm like a great, dense forest opened up around her, swallowing her, and she laughed as she fell into her Lion's quintessence and love.

 _/You do that remarkably well, my Paladin-Pidge,/_ Green said, her proud smile audible, though Pidge couldn't see her.

Pidge shrugged, trying not to be too smug. _/I had some great teachers./_

Green purred and then Pidge blinked as the air in front of her condensed in a swirling fog of green light. The opaque mist vanished as quickly as it came and…

 _/Whoa! Green, is that you?/_

The physical, fleshy, furry lion rumbled at her and trotted towards her. The size of one of Earth's lions, she matched her armour's colours, right down to the yellow eyes and turquoise tail-tip. _/My Paladin-Pidge,/_ she said, though her mouth didn't move.

Pidge's jaw dropped. _/Since when can you do this?/_

 _/You are in the Pride bond now. Pride Voltron created these projections to better interact with you. Does…does Green look all right?/_ She cast her side a cautious look, her tail sweeping back and forth.

Pidge laughed, _/Oh, Green, you look wonderful!/_ and she threw her arms around her Lion's emerald neck. _/You fit so much better in my arms now./_

Green's purr was jagged, like she fought back tears, and lifted a paw to drape over Pidge's back and nuzzled her. _/Green is glad my Heart approves./_ One more nuzzle and then Green stepped away. _/Come,/_ she said. _/Pride Voltron awaits./_

Pidge followed her through the forest, running her fingers over Green's head and through her fur. Sunlight filtered through the tall canopy, dappling the floor and Green in spotlight. She looked like something out of a dream and Pidge could not stop smiling.

As they walked, the dense forest became less close. The trees grew farther apart, letting in more light, and bushes and flowers bloomed where they could. A running stream met her ears.

 _/Ah. Blue Sister and Blue's Lance are nearby./_

Blue's Lance? It appeared Green hadn't stopped calling the Paladins by the titles she had given them during the Switch. Pidge found it adorable.

They reached the treeline and stepped out into brilliant sunshine. There was the stream, nestled along lush grass with several large and smooth boulders: a perfect place to sit. Blue and Lance were there already, Lance sitting on a rock and dipping his bare feet into the water; Blue lazed on her back beside him, her paws in the air. Red and Keith were there, too, settling in beside a crackling campfire. Keith sat on the ground while Red lay on the boulder at his back, her muzzle resting on his head as she purred.

 _/Hey, guys!/_ Pidge called, striding forward. _/Got room for two more?/_

Lance cocked a smile at her over his shoulder. _/There's always room for you, squirt./_

 _/Don't get up, Blue,/_ Green said with a smile as she trotted over. _/There's enough room here./_

Blue didn't articulate a reply beyond a half-dozing 'mrrt' sound, though she did roll over onto her side when Green lay down next to her.

Pidge took off her shoes and socks and sat next to Lance. The water was cool and clear, and she wondered if it was safe to drink.

 _Wait a minute_ , she mused. Green had said they were in the Pride bond. That meant that, technically, none of this was real.

Green rumbled, halfway to dozing herself. _/Just because this is happening in your head, my Heart, doesn't mean that this isn't real,/_ she said. _/Drink. It is safe./_

Pidge cupped her hands and filled them four times, relishing how refreshing it was.

 _/Black and Yellow Sisters and their Hearts approach,/_ Red announced after a few more moments of lazy quiet.

Blue and Green groaned and rolled to their paws, stretching and yawning, showing off their impressive claws and teeth, just as the others arrived. They all left their boulders to sit in a circle on the ground, their Lions beside them. When Black and Shiro sat down, a light breeze ruffled fur and hair.

 _/We are all here, then,/_ Black said, her voice rolling like thunder heralding a storm. She regarded the Paladins one by one, her yellow eyes as kind as they were wise. She inclined her head. _/Welcome, our Paladins. It is an honour and a joy to share this with you./_

 _/What is this, exactly?/_ wondered Keith. He waved a hand to encapsulate everything around them: the breeze, the forest, the fire, the stream and the boulders.

 _/You are in the Pride bond,/_ Black replied. _/Pride Voltron created this plane of existence within the realms of our bond so that we may interact with you in ways we cannot accomplish in reality./_ Her tail flicked once. _/Is it suitable?/_

 _/Suitable? It's incredible!/_ Lance gushed. _/You did this for us?/_

Black met Lance's happy gaze before turning to each Paladin in turn and saying, _/You are our Hearts./_

Pidge smiled at how final the statement was. She had heard such surety a dozen times while she had occupied Green's body, but now she watched her teammates for their reactions. Wonder, awe and perhaps a bit of humility washed over them. The emotions were so strong that they were nearly a taste in the air.

The Lions purred and nuzzled their respective Paladin. Pidge wrapped her arms around Green's neck, leaning her cheek on top of her head.

Of course it was Shiro who found his voice first. _/Thank you for sharing this with us./_

All five Lions inclined their heads, accepting the gratitude, and Black continued. _/Pride Voltron has never opened the Pride bond so widely before. It is in the Pride bond that we learn of each other and our Hearts to better help one another./_ She turned that wise gaze on Pidge and her whiskers twitched in a cat's smile. _/Green's Pidge has experienced the Pride bond, but not to this extent./_

 _/The Switch,/_ Blue, Yellow and Red added in solemn tandem, clarifying for their confused Paladins.

 _/Oh. Right,/_ said Hunk. _/That makes sense. Green did say that Pidge had bonded with you./_

 _/That is correct,/_ said Black.

 _/So we're here to…what? Hang out?/_ Lance guessed.

Chuckles erupted around the circle and Blue washed Lance's ear with her tongue. _/Not quite, Paladin-mine. It is a bit more complicated than that. Green's Pidge, perhaps you should speak about your first experience with Pride Voltron?/_

Pidge blinked, caught by surprise, and then blushed at being thrust into the spotlight. Her arms were still wrapped around Green and she squeezed a fraction tighter. Green purred, soothing her anxiety.

 _/Right. Well, uh, it all started soon after Green fell asleep that first night./_ She explained how lonely she had been, and frightened. Frightened of Pride Voltron and what they would think of her, what they would say and, most importantly, what they would do. Glancing at Black, who nodded, she relayed how Black had overreacted at her emotional state and how the Lions had protected her. She tried to find the right words to explain what she felt when Pride Voltron had accepted her, but she fumbled and trailed off.

 _/I can't do it justice,/_ she said, looking down at her lap. _/There's no other feeling like it. Being loved by your Lion is wonderful, but being loved by Pride Voltron? It's…amazing. I can't explain it…/_

 _/You do not have to./_ Green rubbed her nose against Pidge's temple. _/That is the reason why we have gathered you all here in the Pride bond. There will be no more doubt, no more fear. There will be only Us. Pride Voltron and Team Voltron, together as one./_

 _/What do we have to do?/_ Shiro asked nervously.

 _/Do nothing,/_ Black replied gently. _/Only feel./_

With that, the wind picked up to gale-force; the stream rushed forth, a torrential river; the ground trembled; the trees creaked and groaned, flowers sprouting at random around them; and the fire leaped high. Before, Pidge had fallen into the forest, dense and enclosed. Now, the blue sky fell into sunset's fire and then night's infinite black in the span of two seconds. Stars gleamed like beacons, far closer, bigger and brighter than ever before. The night encompassed them, drawing them in, and the fire behind them cast their shadows long over the grass and blooming flowers.

The words, when they came, were the water, the fire, the earth and the trees. They were the stars and the great expanse above them, wide and deep and infinite.

/ _Pride Voltron loves all Paladins. Each is precious. Each is loved./_

They were the exact same words spoken to Pidge on that first night of the Switch. Red had spoken them then. Pride Voltron spoke them now. She knew. She had known for a while that Pride Voltron loved them, but it was good to be reminded.

Then, slowly, the wheeling stars faded into dawn. The breeze gentled and the river eased back to its happy bubbling, the trees swaying and rustling lightly, while the flames lowered, no longer ferocious. The very world calmed and an overwhelming peace settled over the circle of Paladins and Lions.

 _/No more fear. No more doubt./_

Pidge didn't know who said it. It could have been all of them or none, merely the thoughts of her heart projected into soundwaves for all to hear. It didn't matter. What mattered was that it was true. And looking around their circle, she knew they knew it was true, too.

Lance, Keith, Hunk and Shiro were buried in their Lions' fur. The Lions purred as tears fell onto their shoulders and necks and heads. Tears of joy and wonder and awe and relief and _gratitude_. Pure gratitude washed through the air as tangibly as the wind, and the world echoed with the Lions' soothing purrs.

-:-:-:-

Pidge opened her eyes slowly and found Green's metallic nose inches from her own. She leaned forward to rest her forehead against her, basking in the fading tendrils of love and warmth that was the Pride bond.

A hand on her shoulder made her look up. Shiro helped her stand, the others grouped around her.

"I think," Shiro said, "that we're beginning to understand a few things."

Pidge smiled. "Only a few?" she asked lightly.

"Pidge, I gotta say that was… That was amazing," said Lance. His eyes shone with tears, though none fell.

"I kind of miss it already," murmured Keith.

 _Silly Hearts. It is impossible to miss what is already present._

All five of them snapped their heads up to stare at Black. No one could mistake that voice, as wide and deep as a night sky.

"Uh…did everyone else hear that?" asked Hunk.

Pidge laughed and rubbed Green's nose. "Just a little impossible," she answered.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)


	33. Chapter 33: Old Exercise

**Special Thanks** to: **theadventurer4** , **Chise Yukki** , **bookmaniac849** , **phantommist13** , **WolvesRock14** , **CrazyRedmanelion** , **Riku Courtier** (I cried when I read your review! Thank you so, so much! I am beyond honoured!), **Gravtron1** , **Darkblaze15** , **The Oracle Turret** , **Kayla05w** (both of your reviews and your prompt, which I will take and run with!), **SecretEnigma** , **Liz1545** , **Guest** , **RayRuteru** , **Jesta7** , **Silexwitch** , **KatieGunderson**. Thank you so very much for your reviews! They make my heart soar! *Squee!*

Thank you to all new readers, followers and favouriters. It's great to have you and I would love to hear from you. :)

Thank you to all new reviewers! I know it takes courage to leave a review, so thank you for both your courage and your words. They mean the world to me. *hugs*

 **Author's Note:** It has occurred to me that Chapters 31 to at least 35 are all prompts. I've got the basics for chapters 34 and 35 lined up and am working super hard to get them ready for you all during the holiday. But, guys, thank you! Thank you so much for your prompts! It's great to see your ideas and try to work them in, even in combination. Your ideas and encouragement really help keep this story going - and I intend to keep going. I honestly have no end in mind here, no final destination. I guess I'll stop when I want to (if that ever happens), but until then, onward!

 **Dedication:** For **ShatteredIce18** who prompted me on Chapter 1 (I can't find your review anywhere, but I did record it on my prompts document). It took a while, but I'm glad it's here now. :)

 _Chapter 33: Old Exercise_

On the observation deck, Allura was silent as she and Coran watched the Paladins perform their typical bonding exercise. Something was…different. She had no idea what it was, but all she knew was that when they sat in their circle on the training deck and closed their eyes, the projected images of their Lions materialised and met in the center more quickly than she had ever seen before.

Beside her, Coran was equally silent, contemplatively pulling on his moustache. "It is almost too easy for them now," he observed, breaking the silence.

"I was thinking the same thing," Allura said with a nod. "It is as if they have bonded completely with not only their Lions but each other."

"Intriguing." Coran continued to twirl his moustache.

Allura waited a few ticks, but when he said nothing more, she pressed, "How do we test that level of bonding? It's close to perfect, based on what we can see here." She waved a hand.

Coran shifted his weight and then smiled suddenly. It was disturbingly conspiratorial. "We test perfection with the perfect test. Do you recall one of the first trials you put them through? Seeing through their Lions' eyes?"

Allura found herself mirroring that smile. "Perfect."

-:-:-:-

The planet they landed on was called Ulra, a small outer-rim planet in this particular galaxy. The region was riddled with cliffs and craggy valleys. Pidge sat in Green atop the tallest cliff Allura could find.

 _"So…"_ Lance said over the comms, _"anyone have any idea what this is about?"_

 _"Does this not look familiar to you?"_ asked Keith dryly.

 _"Oh, no,"_ said Hunk. _"No, no, no, no. Not this again."_

 _"Aw, Allura! Really?"_

 _"Come now, Paladins,"_ Allura chided. _"This is an excellent exercise for you. You're proving the bonding exercises we've instigated are too easy for you now. You require a new challenge."_

 _"Guys, this is a good thing,"_ said Shiro. _"Remember the Pride bond? We trusted our Lions then. We can trust them now."_

Green purred, and Pidge had the distinct impression that all of Pride Voltron purred with her. "We can do this," she said.

 _"Yes. We believe you can,"_ said Coran.

"Last one down has to clean the cryo pods!" Pidge surged both controls forward and let out a whoop as her visor darkened.

Lance shouted at her, _"No fair! False start!"_ and Pidge just laughed.

"Come on, girl! Let's show 'em how it's done!" Pidge closed her eyes, her fingers loosening on the control sticks as she sank into the bond.

 _My Heart,_ Green greeted her. _Do you trust Green now?_

 _With all my heart,_ Pidge answered confidently.

 _Then don't look through Green's visual receptors. Feel. Use the proximity sensors._

 _A challenge within a challenge._ Pidge smiled. _I like how you think._

Green purred, preening with smug accomplishment, and Pidge knew the exact moment when Green 'moved over' mentally, allowing her access to what she needed.

All of a sudden, she was back. Her body was massive and strong. She lashed her tail, beaming at the familiar feel of coding and programmes running through her rather than blood, her cortex – rather than her brain – accumulating staggering amounts of data and input. The visual receptors were offline: expected; but her outer sensors were operational and at maximum power. She let out a roar, even as in some distant corner of her senses, tiny hands hauled back on the controls, and her claws skimmed rock.

 _"Oh, my gosh, Pidge! You could not have cut that closer if you'd tried!"_

Pidge blinked and blinked again, her consciousness falling and then restabilising in a minute and organic body. Her hands flexed, gripping the controls more tightly. She was back. She was back in her body proper. She wasn't a Lion; she was human. She was Pidge.

"Right," she exhaled, her voice shaky. "Right. Sorry."

 _"You okay, Pidge?"_ Shiro butted in, interrupting Lance's tirade. _"We tried hailing you when it looked like you were about to crash. Everything all right?"_

Pidge dismissed her visor and looked left and right. Shiro and Keith flanked her while Hunk and Lance flanked them. She was on point in the V formation, leading the team through the jagged valley.

 _"Pidge? You copy?"_

She took a deep breath to steady herself. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Just…that was really intense."

 _"I hear that,"_ Keith said. He sounded as shaky as she felt.

 _"All right, guys. I'm calling it. Let's head back to the Castle."_

"I'll follow you, Shiro," Pidge said as she eased back to let him take the lead.

 _Are you all right, my Heart?_ Green's worry sounded distant, even though she was in Pidge's head.

 _Not really sure, to be honest._

Wordless worry spiked through her skull, making her wince, and then Green purred, a salve on frayed nerve endings. _Let Green take control. Green will get us back to the Castle. Rest, Paladin-mine._

Pidge nodded and let her hands fall into her lap. "Okay," she whispered.

 _"Pidge?"_ asked Shiro. _"Did you say something?"_

"Hm. Wake me when we get there," Pidge mumbled. "Green? Let them know I'm okay."

 _Green has done so. Pride Voltron relays it to their Hearts._

If anyone said anything more, Pidge didn't hear it, falling asleep with Green's gentle purr rumbling through her aching mind.

-:-:-:-

"-idge? Pidge, can you hear me?"

"Dude, did she… Did she _faint_?"

"Say that one more time, Lance, and I will glitter-bomb-booby-trap your shower head," Pidge muttered with a groan. Peeling back her eyelids, she looked up into five concerned faces: Shiro, Lance, Hunk, Allura and Coran. She frowned. "What are you all doing in my cockpit?"

"You said to wake you when we got back to the Castle," Hunk said with a small smile. "We're back."

"Yeah, wakey, wakey," Lance quipped.

Shiro helped her stand, but her legs wobbled and she clutched his arm to steady herself.

"Are you all right, Pidge?" Allura asked, her forehead puckered with concern.

"Fine. I think. Maybe. Where's Keith?"

"He's in the infirmary," said Coran. "We should probably take you down, too."

"Why? What's wrong with him?"

Coran stepped back, ushering the others out of his way while Shiro picked Pidge up and followed. "We think he delved too deep into his bond with Red. He's lightheaded, dizzy and is having trouble walking. He'll be all right in a couple of vargas, as will you."

"Fantastic." Pidge rested her head against Shiro's chest.

"What happened out there?"

Pidge smiled at the deep vibrations along her cheek. "Green moved over for me. She let me in. I had complete access to her body."

"That was not the point of the exercise, Pidge," Allura rebuked gently. "It was to see if you could look through –"

"I know. But Green thought it was too easy. Don't look. Feel. So I did. I used her sensors." She smiled wider, closing her eyes. "It felt just like last time. All that power and energy. It was easy to slide back into it. I didn't need to use my visual receptors. My proximity sensors did all the work." She snorted. "And you guys were worried I would crash."

"You weren't responding to the comms," Shiro said carefully.

"Didn't even hear 'em. Must've been the helmet comms. If you'd activated the comm system between Lions, I would have probably been able to respond… Maybe. But I guess that didn't work the last time, did it?" She had the feeling she was babbling now, rambling about stuff the others only half-understood.

Shiro settled her on a bed in the infirmary and she smiled dazedly at Keith. 'S'up, man? I guess we're med bay buddies."

Keith blinked at her, trying to focus, and then a slow smile spread across his face. "Of course it would be you, too. You're always getting into some kind of trouble."

"Not my fault."

"No." Keith cast a weary glance to somewhere over her shoulder. "It hardly ever is."

The infirmary fell into silence while Coran bustled between the beds with his bio scanner. Pidge lay back and closed her eyes. It helped steady the spinning world around her. "Hey," she said, remembering something. She peeked open an eye. "Who was last?"

Allura and Coran shared looks before she said, "You and Keith were in the lead. Shiro, Lance and Hunk were perfectly synchronised when they pulled up."

"What do you think, Keith?" Pidge asked, turning her head to look at him. "A three-way tie for last place?"

"Sounds good." Keith mumbled something else and then rolled over, promptly falling asleep.

"I hereby designate you three as the losers. Have fun cleaning the pods." She smiled and no one could say anything before she, too, succumbed to exhaustion.

Shiro blinked rapidly several times. When he sensed movement behind him, his right hand shot out to snatch Lance (who was trying to sneak away) by the back of his collar. "Don't even think about copping out," he said lightly.

"Aw, man," grumbled Lance as Shiro released him but levelled a Look at him. "Didn't Coran develop a self-cleaning thing for the pods? Why can't we use that?"

"Do we have to start now?" asked Hunk. "I mean, what if they need one?" He gestured to Pidge and Keith.

Shiro frowned and glanced at Allura who looked at Coran.

Coran shrugged. "They're perfectly healthy physically. Their quintessence levels are normal, too. They're just…tired."

"They went too deep into their Lion bonds," Allura said stiffly.

"How deep is too deep?" Lance wondered, shrugging out from under Shiro's hand. "I mean, we're all bonded to our Lions. Are you saying we're in danger from them?"

Allura shook her head. "Not from the Lions, no. Never. It's impossible. But the requirements necessary to delve so deeply into their minds and bodies? It's never been explored, so I honestly don't know. But Keith was also muttering about how the Red Lion 'moved over' for him. Both he and Pidge entered a level of unity with their Lions that is unheard of, and based on their reactions, it's not healthy for the pilots."

"Do you think," Shiro said slowly, "that this result was because it was a first-time thing? Couldn't we build up a resistance, strengthen ourselves over time?"

"It's possible," Allura replied, "but at this time, it's hard to say."

"We'll keep our eyes on them," promised Coran. "If they're all right within the next quintant or so, we'll see about trying again. But I don't like the idea of you turning yourselves into lab-gloraks. This could be really dangerous and we won't know until it's too late."

Shiro nodded while Hunk and Lance cast each other and then the beds' occupants concerned looks.

"We'll just have to be patient," said Shiro, and in his mind, Black purred her quiet and confident agreement.

"You know what I just realised?" said Hunk, breaking the intensity. "We totally just _aced_ that test! We didn't crash at all!"

Allura blinked, glanced at Coran, and then beamed at everyone. "Well done, Paladins."

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review. :)

Also, I wish you all a wonderful and happy holiday! No matter what or how we celebrate, it is a time for unity, reflection, and charity. I wish you all the best in the coming year.

With love and hugs,

~ Red

PS. The second-year anniversary of this fic is January 30th! I can't believe that I've been writing this, albeit sporadically, for two years. Thank you all so much once again for your love and support and encouragement!

Cheers!


	34. Chapter 34: Frozen

**Special Thanks** to: **Gravtron1** , **Fir3danc3r** , **October heart** , **Jesta7** , **The Oracle Turret** (I answered your question in an author's note at the end of this chapter), **Godsliltippy** , **FanGirlOfEveryone** , **Rehabilitated Sith** (Thank you so much for all of your reviews! Holy wow! Thank you!), **Chise Yukki** (It feels kind of weird, to be honest. I've never been popular before (in school, etc.), but I'm loving that you love what I'm writing), **Silexwitch** , **Bayboo20** (I was thinking about you the other day. I hope you've been keeping well. I'm glad you were able to binge read.), **TeenTitansFanForever02** , **Kayla05w** (your reviews on Chapters 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 and your prompt), **callieguitargirl** , (your reviews of Chapters 32 and 33), **Kinzichi** (Congratulations on your graduation and moving! I hope you're settling in well.), **TooEasilyDistracted** , **saraphynxs** , **Paladianofvoltron** , **Emma** , **oOTwiliaOo** , **Guest** (your review on Chapter 3; and for your question, please see the Summary) **Guest** , and **Pidge** (your review on Chapter 8).

Thank you to all new favouriters, followers, and readers! It's wonderful to have you here.

Thank you to all new reviewers! I appreciate your comments.

 **Author's Note:** I apologise for the wait, but I rewrote this chapter four times before I was satisfied, and most of the writing happened during the last two-ish days. I wanted to have this thing ready for TSBBL's two-year anniversary (Jan. 30), but yeah, no. So here it is, more than two weeks late. I'm so sorry! :/

 **Dedication:** For **Thiendrah** who prompted me on Chapter 29, and for everyone else who was hoping for more Lance  & Pidge, and more Shiro.

 _Chapter 34: Frozen_

"…idge? Pidge, come on. You need to open your eyes. Can you do that? Can you open your eyes? Come on, Pidgeykins, I know you can do it. Just open your eyes…"

The mantra continued, louder and then softer like some moron was playing around with the volume on the TV remote. Which was rude. And was also the reason why Pidge never let anyone else have the remote while she watched her favourite programmes or movies, or played her video games.

But…was she watching TV? Had she fallen asleep on the couch again and Matt had come downstairs to wake her up and get her to her bed? She really wanted a TV in her own room. It'd be so much easier. She could fall asleep in bed and then Matt wouldn't have to wake her up…

It didn't sound like Matt, the voice in her ear.

It didn't feel like the couch. It was something else. Was she…propped up? Geez Louise, her neck ached. Why had she fallen asleep sitting upright?

"Pidge? Come on, Pidgey. Por favor, hermanita..."

Was that Spanish? Matt's Spanish sucked, and neither Mom nor Dad knew any. The only person she knew who spoke fluently was…was…

"Lance?" The name was a slurry garble as it fell out of her mouth.

Lance hissed something too quiet to discern, but when Pidge pried her eyelids apart, she found him bending over her and wearing a look of such utter relief that she was shocked.

What had happened?

"Pidge, thank goodness. Stay awake, okay, but don't move. How are you feeling?"

She blinked slowly, trying to work out the question and the appropriate answer. "Tired," she said at last. "What happened?"

"We were shot out of the sky," said Lance, "but don't worry about that right now. Where's your First Aid kit?"

Shot out of the sky? But…

Pidge looked around without moving her head too much. They were in Green, but something was very wrong. Everything was offline and Green was quiet in her head. No purrs, no greetings, no mental nudges, nothing. Green was completely offline.

"Pidge!" Lance's sharp voice snapped her out of her growing panic. He loomed over her, hands cupping her cheeks. "I know it's hard, but I need you to focus. You've hit your head, so you probably have a concussion and a few bruises. I need to know: where. Is. The. First Aid kit?"

Pidge lifted her right hand, confused and afraid by how heavy it felt and how draining such an action was, and pointed to the compartment to the right of the console. "Moved it," she mumbled as he darted for it. "Found it on a shelf too high to reach. Didn't seem a good idea to leave it where I couldn't…couldn't reach it in…in…emergencies."

Lance huffed a laugh as he dragged the kit out into the open cockpit. Why did he sound so frightened? She watched him toss open the lid and snatch heavy bandages, and then…he hurried away? Why did he walk away from her?

She turned her head – only a little bit – and her gaze tracked him to the starboard side of the cockpit, to where Hunk was still harnessed into one of the passenger seats.

Hunk.

Memory shot through her brain with all the force and speed of lightning.

The recon mission to the Galra base. Lance and Hunk safe and secure in their harnessed seats behind her. Keith and Shiro in Red as they waited for the signal to move in. But Green, cloaked though she had been, had tripped an alarm, and the sky above the base had lit up with plasma fire at the arrival of scores of drone fighters and the base's cannons. Pidge had hailed both Red and the Castle to let them know their cover was blown, and taken evasive manoeuvers. Lance and Hunk both shouted at each impact and Pidge's frightening flying. She remembered thinking that both Blue and Yellow were legs and thus heavier and less agile, so it had stood to reason that the boys would panic a little. She didn't remember much else after that: Green's klaxons had blared after one particular hit tore through the starboard wall, her terror for the precious Paladins inside her piquing – Pidge had felt it pique; and then nothing.

Nothing, nothing, nothing. Nothing but the blackness Lance had dragged her out of.

Someone groaned behind her and Lance whispered gently, "Easy, Hunk. Easy, man. Just breathe."

Hunk was hurt.

Pidge would never sit around while a friend was hurt. Testing her limbs and ribcage, she levered herself cautiously out of her chair. Everything held, there was no sharp pain, and Pidge knew the dull ache over her whole body was not life-threatening.

She was dizzy, but she could handle dizzy. Clutching the back of her chair for support, she stumbled to her boys.

She froze at the sight of the gaping hole in Green's siding. She hadn't thought it possible for enemy fire to rip a hole in a Lion, but there it was, letting in a chilly wind and blowing snow, and Pidge was silently grateful that Green wasn't online. The incident with the giant eagles tore through her and she winced at the phantom pain of having her skin and insides – Green's panelling and circuits – slashed apart. If Green were online, Pidge doubted she would be conscious, let alone standing and walking around relatively unharmed.

"Pidge, I told you not to move!" Lance growled at her when she shook herself out of her thoughts and stood beside him.

"I'm fine," she replied gently. Lance responded better to gentleness than commanding orders in frightening situations. If she remained calm and gentle, then so would he, and they both would be able to help Hunk. "Just a bit dizzy and achy. Nothing too bad. How can I help?"

Lance cast a pale look at Hunk who sat slumped in his seat. The only thing holding him up was the harness; the straps strained against his broad chest and shoulders. His face was alarmingly white beneath his dark skin, his eyes were closed, and blood seeped from under his helmet down his neck and from somewhere around his belly.

Oh, that was not good.

Pidge eyed the jagged edges of the hole mere inches from Hunk's left arm, and fought to breathe through almost losing Hunk (and Lance, too, because he'd been sitting on Hunk's right) in a fiery explosion.

But they could still lose him.

"Lance." She shook his shoulder, refraining from shaking him too hard. "Lance, talk to me. What do we do?"

Lance's eyes were slow to focus back on her, like he dragged his gaze from Hunk to her. "Blankets. We need blankets. And we need to get his armour off."

She smiled at him, squeezing the shoulder she held. "Okay. We can do this. I'll get the blankets. I know where they are."

She whirled away, nearly fell down when the world spun out from under her feet, and managed to catch herself on her pilot's chair. She made for the opposite side of the cockpit and hauled out every last blanket and pillow she'd stashed in here. She smiled and fingered a pillow's corner. It was Shiro's. After sleeping in Green after the airlock incident, she had tucked away the whole nest into a compartment, and synthesised everyone new things for their beds. Despite not having used much of it in the last couple of months, the hidden nest was a constant comfort at the back of her mind.

And was definitely proving useful at the moment.

It took several trips, but she took everything out into the small hall joining the cockpit to the rest of the Lion. She had long ago installed a manual lock and handles on the automatic door, for just such an emergency. The cargo hold was just beyond the hall and through another door, but Pidge wanted as small a space as possible; their body heat would help warm the hall, despite the heating being offline. She set up the nest, made sure Hunk's blanket and pillow were in the middle, and then returned to Lance.

Hunk's helmet was off, and his chest plate and right gauntlet, and it was all so much worse than she'd thought. Lance had tipped Hunk's head back against the wall to keep a gauze pad pressed to whatever bled, and now pressed a wad of thick bandage into his left side. The white linen was rapidly turning red.

"I've no idea if there's damage to his back or neck," Lance said quietly, strained, as Pidge rejoined him.

She tapped her left wrist gauntlet and turned it towards Hunk. "I asked Coran yesterday to help me install a small bio scanner. I didn't think I'd have to use it so soon." The scanner beeped, orange warnings popping up. No red. Thank goodness.

Lance regarded her with wide eyes. "Your timing is amazing."

Her smile was rueful. "I've been thinking about it for a while. It would have been useful for other…accidents, but I'm glad I've got it now."

"Me, too. When we get back, I'm telling Shiro we need one in every suit." Relief morphed into fear. "How is he?"

"Blood pressure's dropping. His left arm is broken in two places and his elbow is dislocated. Good work keeping the gauntlet on. It'll keep his arm stable until we get the rest of him fixed up. No damage to his spine." She jerked her head towards the door. "The nest is ready."

Lance had been nodding along at the report, but then his startled eyes flashed up to hers. "Nest?" he echoed, unsure.

She smiled. "Come see."

As they gently – so, so gently – supported Hunk between them, Pidge couldn't help but think how carrying Hunk this way was easier with Lance helping. While Pidge needed both her arms to keep Hunk's arm from sliding off her shoulders, Lance used his whole body to steady most of Hunk's superior weight. It was a mercy that the nest was barely twelve feet away.

Lance faltered at the sight of the familiar blankets and familiar scents of his friends. He cast Pidge a shrewd look. "I was wondering why my pillow smelled funny after we made that nest. You kept the originals."

"I synthesised you all new stuff," Pidge replied, not looking at him, "but, yeah. I stole it."

Despite the awful situation, he grinned. "Well, don't be sorry. The fact that you squirrel away anything potentially useful is proving _very_ useful."

And Pidge couldn't help but grin back. "I'll get the First Aid kit."

They got him settled together (on Pidge's blanket; she made sure of it, so that he wouldn't bloody anyone else's) and then Pidge darted back into the cockpit for the whole kit. When she returned, she propped Hunk's head in her lap and got to work on what was bleeding there, while Lance continued to staunch the worst wound to his side.

It was several minutes later, when she was wrapping Hunk's head, that she remembered something. "Lance, are you hurt at all?"

"No," was the prompt reply. "I didn't even get knocked out when we crashed."

Pidge kept her head carefully ducked so that he couldn't see her horror. Nevertheless, she managed to say, "That must've been scary. I'm sorry."

"I was more scared when I couldn't find the First Aid kit," Lance said slowly. "It's in the same spot on every Lion – at least, it's supposed to be," he added, a touch of humour in his tone.

But Pidge wasn't laughing. It ached her to know that because she was short, she'd been forced to move the kit, which had frightened and panicked Lance even more when he hadn't been able to find it. No wonder he'd been so relieved when she'd told him where it was.

"I'll tell the others," she promised in a whisper. "I don't want to scare them when they can't find it where it should be on any other Lion."

From under her bangs, she saw Lance watch her carefully. His eyes were sad and still scared, but he smiled at her. "Good plan."

They worked without saying much more, and Hunk didn't wake up. He didn't wake up when Lance snipped open the undergarment, baring his chest and side. He didn't wake up when the bleeding finally stopped or when Lance applied the skin-sealant. He didn't wake up when they set his arm and elbow, and then resettled him in the middle of the nest, wrapping him in his blanket with others tucked around him.

Pidge bundled her ruined quilt up and lobbed it into the cockpit. The tiny hall didn't need the added scent of blood. She cast around for anything else possibly useful, but finding nothing, she returned to her boys, closing the door firmly behind her. Lance had already shed his armour and crawled in under the blankets.

Taking off most of her own armour (she kept the wrist gauntlet on to monitor Hunk, and quickly scanned Lance to make sure he wasn't lying about being unharmed), she set her helmet close by in case Keith, Shiro or Allura managed to contact them. Shivering in the cool air, she scurried into the nest and huddled as tight to Hunk's uninjured side as possible. She did not fail to notice that Hunk was colder than usual – blood loss, she knew. She shivered harder and did her best to keep herself and him warm.

She closed her eyes.

"Don't fall asleep, Pidge," came Lance's voice.

"Yeah. Okay." She had a concussion and knew she shouldn't fall asleep, but everything hurt and she was so tired…

"Pidge? Talk to me, Pidgey. How did you and Coran build a bio scanner small enough to fit into your gauntlet?"

"It really wasn't that hard," Pidge began.

-:-:-:-

She talked and talked and talked until her throat was dry and then kept talking. Lance talked, too, about everything and anything: the mice's antics, the next level in their video game, his family. Pidge talked about Galaxy Garrison and how hard masquerading as a boy had been, but how grateful she was for Lance and Hunk who had done their best to befriend her.

It wasn't long before her shivers made it into her voice.

"Hey, Pidge? You okay?" Lance asked from Hunk's other side.

"Yeah. Fine. Was just hoping it'd be warmer in here by now."

"Better here than the cockpit. Ideally, we should have set up camp under the console. It'd still be warm, but there's this giant hole in the wall."

"Can't imagine who'd be dumb enough to do that," Pidge replied lightly. "I'm gonna have to file a complaint or something."

"Or install a wood-burning stove. I'd be more down for that."

"I hear that."

Lance chuckled but trailed off quickly. "You sure you're okay?"

Pidge almost sighed. She knew that if she sighed, Lance would hear and then he'd know that something was wrong. "I'm fine, Lance. Let's just worry about Hunk for now."

Lance made a 'hm' sound and then launched into another topic of conversation. Pidge tried to keep up, to keep up the pretense that she was so, so cold. She shuffled closer to Hunk, squeezing into his side and wrapping his arm over her. He wasn't the furnace she was used to him being, but he would have to do for now. She kept her face turned slightly upward so that her answers weren't muffled.

And Lance never suspected anything.

-:-:-:-

"Thermal scans can't even penetrate the heavy cloud," Coran said. "The last thing we want to do is land on them. It's too risky, Shiro. I'm sorry."

"So we can't do anything?" Keith asked quietly. His tone didn't fool Shiro for an instant. Calm he appeared to be, but Shiro knew that the calmer he appeared, the more worried he was. Keith was a naturally still person, not overly fidgety, but Keith was positively frozen in place as he, Shiro, Coran and Allura discussed possible courses of action on the Bridge. Only his eyes moved, and Shiro knew that was very, very bad.

Coran shook his head. "I'm sorry, Keith, my boy. If there was anything we could do, we would already be doing it."

Allura stepped forward then, her serene expression cracking under her stress and worry. "All we can do is wait for the storm to blow over," she said, trying to smile at Keith.

Keith made no reply and looked away.

Shiro sighed and grasped his shoulder lightly. He looked at Allura and Coran as he said, "We'll take our Lions and release Blue and Yellow. We won't need thermal scans to tell us where they are. The Lions can take us to their Paladins on their own."

"That's too great a risk, Shiro," Coran discouraged, frowning. "The Lions won't hold up as well to the elements as the Castle would. You would be putting your own lives at risk."

"Green isn't even online," Shiro replied. He watched both pairs of eyes widen, and he nodded. "The Lions know their Pride Sister is in danger, so we know. Lance, Hunk and Pidge are without power and heat, and Hunk is definitely injured, if Yellow's quiet panic through the Pride bond is any indication."

"You can feel them." Allura said it in a whisper, half-horrified, half-awed.

He nodded again. "Only to an extent and distance plays a huge contributing factor. I doubt Lance and Hunk can even feel their Lions where they are, and Pidge can't feel anything at all because Green is completely offline. We need to get to them, and we need to get to them now."

"But, Shiro," said Allura.

Shiro's gaze flashed up to hers and she stiffened, falling silent. "I was not asking for permission, Princess. Keith and I are going. You can prepare the infirmary while you wait out the storm, but we are going.

"Come, Keith." He squeezed the shoulder he still held, then whirled away, striding for the door.

It was in the corridor that separated the hangars that Keith spoke. "Shiro, what you said about Yellow, it's not really true."

Shiro halted and spun around. "What do you mean? We know Hunk's injured because Yellow's frightened. We can feel that – you can feel that."

Keith had eyes only for the floor as he said, "Yeah, but I can also feel that Yellow isn't frightened just because Hunk's hurt. She's frightened because he's not responding."

Unconscious. In a coma. Too weak to formulate words or thoughts. Dying. Shiro's eyes went wide. "You can feel…more…through the Pride bond?" he asked in a near-whisper.

He jerked his head in a reluctant nod. "I think it's Red. She always knows where I am and if I'm in danger. She reacts to me and…and now I think I'm reacting to her."

Shiro watched him, thinking very hard, very fast. It was reasonable. It actually made a lot of sense. Every single time Keith had been in danger, or when his emotions had been running high, Red had responded. He couldn't help but think about the airlock incident and how it had been Red who saved Pidge. Red. Not Green. Because not only had Green not been there, but Red had reacted to Keith's desperation and terror.

He had to wonder just how deep their bond went, and he remembered that Keith had also been exhausted by the 'see through the Lion's eyes' exercise. Both Pidge and Keith had gone so deep into their bonds that their Lions had allowed them more than visual access. In Pidge's words, they had 'moved over' for them to actually operate physically within the Lion. He knew Pidge had created a deeper-than-usual bond with Green because of…well, everything that had happened, not the least of which was the Switch. But Keith? Had Keith been delving deeper and deeper without anyone realising it, Keith included?

It made a lot of sense and was worthy of more speculation, but now was not the time.

"Okay," he forced himself to say. "Go to Yellow and get any supplies from her. I'll go to Blue. Meet me just outside by Red's hangar. Hopefully the Lions will understand that we need to do this together."

As Keith nodded and raced away, Black rumbled a purr at Shiro. _Of course Pride Voltron understands. We are all we have, after all, my Paladin-Takashi._

Shiro inhaled shakily. _Will Blue and Yellow let us in to get the supplies we need? We might need more than what our First Aid kits have._

 _Blue Sister and Yellow Sister understand, too,_ was the simple reply.

"Right," Shiro murmured under his breath as he ran towards Blue's hangar.

-:-:-:-

When Lance realised that he had been talking for a while now and hadn't heard any kind of reply from Pidge, his heart leaped into his mouth. "Pidge?" he ventured across Hunk's slowly rising and falling chest. "Pidge, you awake?"

He lifted his head to better see and…where was she? He couldn't see her at all.

"Pidge!" He scrambled from the nest, clutching his quilt about himself and hurrying around Hunk. Had she left without him noticing? A glance at the door showed it was laced in frost, no marks to be found. But then he looked down at where she should have been and found her, and he sagged with relief. He hadn't been able to see her because she huddled as close to Hunk as she could, concealing herself behind his bulk.

He could see from here how hard she shivered.

"Pidge?" He knelt on the floor, touching her shoulder, and she flinched, jerking her face upward at him.

"Lance?" she mumbled. "You okay?"

"Of course I'm okay," he said with a scoff he couldn't help. "I was checking to see if you were okay. You didn't answer when I called."

"Oh. Sorry. I'm fine."

Lance shook his head at her stubbornness. "No, Pidge. No, you're not okay. Come here." He moved to gather her up, quilt and all, but she wiggled.

"No, no. Hunk has to stay warm," she protested.

"Kiddo, believe me when I say you're not helping. You're colder than he is. Let me help you."

Pidge sniffed, her eyes tearing up, though no tears fell. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Oh, Pidgeykins. It's okay." He stroked her blanket-covered shoulder. "I know you want to help Hunk, but we need to look after you, too, you know."

"I'm so sick of needing help," she whined.

"Says the genius, tech-gremlin who can judo-throw me into walls and hold her own against Galra soldiers twice her height." He snickered despite himself. "Pidge, we have literally survived a crash and are now at risk of freezing to death. I think it's okay to ask for help here."

She blinked, her embarrassment trailing off. "Well, when you put it like that," she muttered.

He smiled and helped her stand – "Geez, Pidge, you're freezing!" – walking her back around to the warm spot he had just vacated. He settled her down between himself and Hunk, and he smiled wider at how she curled more into him to spare aggravating Hunk's injuries. "You know," he said as he pulled the quilt over her head to form a hood, "I think we've gotten too used to near-death situations. We're becoming incapable of properly categorising danger, and I don't think that's healthy."

"Hm," Pidge mumbled and pressed closer. "You're really warm."

He laughed, accepting the diverting observation. "Well, you know what they say: you can take the boy out of Cuba, but you can't take Cuba out of the boy."

She giggled, her shivers jolting the sound. "What's it like?"

"What? Cuba? You've never been?" A tiny headshake against his chest. "Pidgey, you've been missing out! I swear the sun shines brighter there and the waters are clearer and the birds sing sweeter. Just think of it, Pidge: sand so hot that it can burn your feet, and the ocean's always warm, even in the winter!"

He continued to talk, rambling about the wind and the sound the trees made during a rainstorm and Mamá's garden, chockful of flowers and fruit trees, and how Abuelo always sang and danced with Abuela at least once a week.

He talked and talked until he received a gentle nudge from Blue. _We are here, my Paladin-Lance. Pride Voltron has come for our Paladins._

And if Lance cried a few tears, neither Shiro nor Keith commented when they pried open the door, the turquoise lights on their armour illuminating their faces and the relief there.

-:-:-:-

"Lance? Lance, buddy, wake up now."

Lance peeled open his eyes and found Shiro bending over him.

"Hey. We're back at the Castle. Allura and Coran are helping Keith unload Pidge and Hunk. Let's get you to the infirmary, okay?"

"Mm," said Lance as Shiro hefted him to his feet and rewrapped the quilt around him. Shiro stayed close by, in case his ability to walk suddenly gave out. "They okay?" he asked as they exited Black and walked slowly down the halls.

"They'll be just fine. You did such a great job, Lance. Both Pidge and Hunk are alive because of you."

"Didn't do much," Lance mumbled, looking at the floor.

Shiro halted so suddenly that Lance kept walking a few more steps before he noticed. He turned back and lifted questioning eyes to Shiro's inexplicably pale face.

Shiro said nothing for a long moment, and Lance had to wonder what was going on behind those eyes. This wasn't like him, even during one of his episodes. But then he spoke, very softly, "Do you really think that?"

Oh. Lance returned his gaze to the floor and shrugged a bit. He didn't look up when Shiro sighed and stepped closer.

"Pidge woke up a bit during the flight back," he said. "She said you brought her around after the crash and that you saw to most of Hunk's wounds." Shiro gripped him gently by the shoulder and added with a small smirk, "She also said that without you, she would have frozen to death. You shared your body heat with her and Hunk, Lance. 'Didn't do much' is a bald-faced lie, and I would appreciate you not downplaying your importance to this team."

Lance blinked twice, opened his mouth, closed it, and said nothing.

Shiro chuckled. "That's what I thought." His tone then turned serious and he said, ducking his head to catch Lance's gaze, "Lance, you're doing some great good here. Blue wouldn't have chosen you without seeing something great in you. You're a good guy, a great good guy, and I know I speak for us all – human, Altean, half-Galran, and Lion – when I say that we love you for it and we love you for you. Okay?"

Lance sniffed and wiped his eyes. "Yeah. Okay. Um…thank you, Shiro."

Shiro brought him close, tucking him under his chin and hugging him. "Anytime, little brother. I'm glad you're all right."

"Yeah," Lance whispered, and he found himself holding onto Shiro and shedding a few stray tears. "Yeah, me too."

-:-:-:-

Shiro and Lance had only one hallway left to get to the infirmary when they heard shouting and Shiro stumbled mid-step because _Keith never shouted_.

Lance was just as startled because when Shiro burst into a full sprint, he was right behind him, and they slid into the infirmary and chaos.

Hunk was safe and well in a cryo pod, but Keith, half-carrying, half-supporting Pidge who trembled in her quilt, faced off against Coran and Allura who were both frowning and advancing on him.

"What is this?" Shiro demanded, his voice carrying over the din as Lance scurried to Pidge's side.

Now that Shiro was here, Keith's anger deflated substantially. "They want to put her in cryo," he said, sounding more scared than angry now.

"It's the best option for her concussion and bruises, Keith. You know this," Allura replied sharply.

"It'll stop her heart is what it'll do!" he shot back. "Shiro, we have to get her warm first. She's too cold."

Shiro hurried forward, placed himself between the humans and the Alteans, and took Pidge in his arms. She shuddered so hard that his own arms trembled. "Easy, Pidge. Easy. It'll be all right."

"Sh-Shiro." It was all she could say, her eyes squeezing tight against pain and cold.

Shiro's gaze flashed up to Keith's. "Something warm to drink." Keith nodded and darted away, casting a wary glance at Allura and Coran before the door closed behind him.

"Lance," Shiro said, "help me."

He laid her on the nearest med-bed and gestured Lance to climb in with her. Lance enfolded his arms and the quilt around them both, bringing her to his chest, while Shiro booted up the bed's monitors and piled quilts and more blankets on top of the pair. He didn't notice Coran drifting closer until he spoke.

"Her core temperature is drastically low," he observed, twirling his moustache.

"You think?" Lance growled. "And you wanted to put her into a cryo pod."

Shiro laid a calm and restraining hand on Lance's shoulder. Lance looked up at him, scowled, and returned his attention to Pidge, cuddling her and whispering to her about sand and sunshine.

Coran frowned, his eyes still glued to the monitors. "I had no idea human physiology was this delicate. The cryo pods typically remedy everything."

"Yeah, but putting a hypothermic kid into a giant freezer isn't exactly remedial for any species," Shiro said softly.

"Alteans do not have these issues," Allura replied, her tone only slightly defensive as she, too, looked at the monitors quietly whirring. "We are able to alter our physiology to withstand the elements. If the environment is too cold, we simply increase our core temperature at will."

"I don't know how we've lived together this long and this still comes up, but humans can't do that," said Shiro. "We rely heavily on our environment and our bodies' strict natural defences. Those defences aren't anywhere near as flexible as yours."

"We know that now," said Coran. He looked up at last, sorrow and apology in his face. "We didn't before and we could have hurt Pidge. I'm sorry."

"As am I." Allura inclined her head.

Lance's muffled voice rose from the pile of quilts: "Keith needs to hear that apology, too. You scared him."

Coran nodded vigorously and Allura said, "Of course. We'll do that. What can we do to help?" she asked Shiro.

Shiro regarded Allura carefully, internally debating, but then he took the plunge. "You said you can alter your core temperature." He waved a hand to Pidge and Lance who were barely visible beneath the quilts. "Help her, but be careful."

Allura blinked three times and then looked at Coran who opened his mouth and then closed it without saying anything. He inclined his head differentially and Allura nodded.

"Very well," she said. "Yes. I'll help."

To Shiro's intense surprise and mild embarrassment, she shed the over-robe of her dress and the petticoats until she stood in only a pale pink shift. Instead of dropping the clothes or handing them to Coran, she climbed in with them and tucked the layers, already warm with her body heat, around Pidge. The monitor blipped as it recognised a third lifeform, and quickly added Allura's vitals to the already-full screen. Shiro watched in fascination as the monitor recorded Allura's increasing temperature.

"How long will this take?" Coran asked in genuine curiosity, his eyes also on the screen.

"As long as necessary," Shiro answered just as Keith returned with a tray of steaming mugs.

"Made some for everyone," he said as Allura and Lance helped Pidge sit up. He hesitated a fraction before stepping to the bed and handing out the mugs.

Shiro smiled to himself when Allura's fingers brushed Keith's when she took her mug. "I'm sorry for frightening you earlier, Keith," she said quietly. "I only wanted to help Pidge."

Keith swallowed loudly and mumbled something that Shiro, standing at the foot of the bed, couldn't hear, but Allura smiled and nodded, and Keith's tense shoulders slumped with relief.

It was several minutes later, when the infirmary had settled into a comfortable quiet, that Pidge, who was now more alert and less shivery, said clearly, "This feels so nice. I should almost freeze to death more often."

Everyone stiffened, and it was Lance who said, "Or, you know, don't."

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you thought. :)

 **Q &A**

 **The Oracle Turret** : In answer to your question, I have decided that the previous paladins were not only older and more mature mentally and physically, but that they were bonded with their Lions for years before discovering the bond's depths. Because our current paladins are so young and have not been bonded with their Lions for as long (maybe a year or so, tops), they were ill-prepared for the after-effects. Pride Voltron is teaching Team Voltron a lot within a short amount of time because of their circumstances (ie: mass-spread war). The original paladins were able to learn at a more leisurely pace, and so the bond-depths were only recently discovered before Zarkon betrayed them all. Allura and Coran never found out, so the knowledge of how deep a paladin could go into the bond was lost with the original paladins, and Alfor never left any kind of recording or report of it. Good news, though: Shiro is right. The Paladins will develop resistance and strength to better work within the bond. I hope that clears that up! Thank you for your question!

 **Very Important Author's Note:** Guys. Guys. Kimberly Brooks and Josh Keaton (voice actors for Allura and Shiro respectively) are coming to my city's comic con, and...and...and I really want to give them a copy of _Switched_. But it's, like, almost 90 pages long (Times New Roman, font size 11). I need to clean it up a little, but I kind of, really want to give them _Switched_ and be like "Hey, your work inspired this. Also, can you make sure that Bex gets a copy?" Is that too weird? I've heard of other writers giving actors their work, but I mean... Yeah. I need to think about it. I'll clean it up so it's ready to go if I decide to hand it out, but I'm kind of dithering here. Should I give out different chapters? Any advice? Please PM me with your thoughts and thank you in advance!


	35. Chapter 35: A Promise Broken A Promise

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 _Chapter 35: A Promise Broken; A Promise Made_

"We're not going to leave you, Pidge," Lance told her.

"This is war, Lance. We're in a war. You can't make promises like that."

"I can make whatever promises I want!" - Chapter 1: The Maze

Pidge took a deep breath to steel herself. Courage, Pidge, she told herself. Courage for Green. You can do this. Closing her eyes, she pressed her hand to her Lion's nose. Come on, come on.

The Olkari gem hidden in the headband she wore heated against the base of her skull, and she sank into Green's metal structure. Not the bond. The bond was too painful to delve into right now – would be until they managed to get Green all fixed up. The damage to her was extensive: plasma and ion burns all along her sides, plus the hole in the right side of her head.

It had been almost a week since she, Lance and Hunk had been shot down. Hunk was fine – of course – after his stint in a cryo pod, and she was doing much better for having flirted with hypothermia and a concussion. But Green was still offline, a self-inflicted status that the Lions supported. Apparently, it was difficult for a Lion to remain offline, even with substantial injuries, so the rest of Pride Voltron assisted their Sister by doing something within the Pride bond. None of the Paladins knew what it was because it was painful to try to fully enter the bond to find out and the Lions weren't talking about it. Whatever the Lions were doing, it was working. That was all that mattered, but Pidge was growing desperate to hear Green's voice again, to feel her purr and nuzzle at her. It was lonely in her brain and soul, and she was afraid of it.

So here she stood, wearing the Olkari headband and praying that she could better understand the atomic structure of the metals the Lions were made of. There was none left onboard (Coran had used the last of it after the bird incident) and, because the planet the meteorite containing the metal had struck no longer existed, Pidge was hoping to find an appropriate substitute.

Hopefully.

But the Lions were unlike anything she'd ever seen and were thus made of materials that were rarer than rare. Nothing existing on Earth came close to these incredible metals. Deep as she was in the Olkari gem's power, she knew she had never encountered anything remotely similar in any of the space malls or markets they'd come across, either.

What would they do if they couldn't fix Green?

The gem whispered to her when someone neared her hangar's open door, and she pulled herself carefully out of the deep well she'd sunk into just in time to hear Coran's gentle call.

"Number Five?"

"Come in, Coran," Pidge said, turning and slipping the headband from her hair. She set it on her desk as he approached, her fingers teasing the gem hidden in the cloth. "What's up?"

"I've been going through our archives and I found something interesting that I think might help us."

"Oh?" Pidge stepped closer when Coran pulled out his holo-tablet and tapped a few times. He handed it to her.

"Take a look."

Pidge looked, her eyes scanning the text rapidly. "Ornlitium?" she asked. "I've never heard of it."

"Nor did I, until I read this." Coran bent closer to read upside-down. "It's an amazing metal. Given enough exposure to any solid material, ornlitium can take on the properties of  
that material."

"Amazing," Pidge breathed, her eyes wide. She continued to read. "It says that it's rare. Most of the found mines have already been bled dry – and this is from ten thousand years ago, so we can assume that all of the found mines are now dry. How do we find it?"

"I already did." Coran twirled his moustache as he smiled at her. "I found the text five quintants ago. It's taken that long for me to find a tiny mine. It's still operational, but it's in Galra territory."

"Fantastic." She glanced at Green whose eyes were dark and who lay slumped on her side. "When can we go?"

"All we have to de is brief the team and you can be on your way."

"Excellent!" Pidge made to race out the door, but Coran stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "What? What's wrong?" she asked, seeing the concern on his face.

Coran exhaled slowly, as if bracing himself. "Pidge, I know it's dangerous, but I want you to take your headband with you on this mission. Being able to use the Olkari gem will help you excavate the ornlitium faster and easier, and you will need to be fast for this. Ornlitium is priceless, so it will be heavily guarded."

Pidge cast the headband a wary look. As useful as it was…was she ready? Her heart pounded, her mind recoiled, and she had no answer.

Coran squeezed her shoulder gently. "I believe you can act with care and caution in its regard. You've been doing well in your sessions with me and Allura. You've come a long way since…" He didn't say it, and Pidge was grateful.

She inhaled shakily and turned for her desk. Her fingers trembled as she picked up the headband – the misleading weapon of mass destruction, but she didn't put it in her hair. Not yet.

But soon.

-:-:-:-

Pidge rode in Blue with Lance, sitting in the passenger seat on Blue's starboard wall. They followed Black and Red, with Yellow bringing up the rear. "I have a bad feeling about this," she said quietly.

"Yeah," Lance replied, just as quiet, his eyes darting from the viewing screens to the long-range scanners and back again. "I mean, Coran would never set us up, but I find it odd that barely two weeks after the Galra decimated one of the Lions, we somehow manage to find out that there's a super-rare super metal that exists, and that there's a mine of it conveniently a few systems over."

Pidge nodded silently. Yes. That was exactly why she had the bad feeling. "You think it's bad intel?"

"Maybe? I don't know. I mean, how would the Galra be able to plant a 10,000-year-old text into our archives? The metal probably does exist, it's just…"

"Odd timing." She nodded again. "Yeah. And usually Galra don't tend to let super-secret mining locations get stumbled across so easily. Coran said he found the mine after only a few days searching."

"Super odd timing. Hey, guys, you hearing this?" he added over the open comms.

 _"Loud and clear, Lance. Good work, you two,"_ said Shiro. _"Something definitely felt off about this mission. Now we know why."_

 _"Mhm. Trap. Gotta love those,"_ said Keith.

Hunk groaned. _"Ah, man. And here I'd hoped we'd have a nice, uneventful jaunt through occupied enemy territory."  
_  
 _"All right, guys,"_ Shiro warned. _"We know it's a trap, but we're down a Lion which means no Voltron, so we've got to be extra cautious here."_

From her seat, Pidge noticed Lance's hands clench over the gear sticks. "Right," he exhaled while Hunk and Keith said, _"Copy that."  
_  
 _"You doing okay, Pidge?"_ Keith added.

She couldn't lie, especially about what was on her head (which was what Keith was asking about). "As okay as I can be," she answered. "I can't help thinking that this is the first time I've worn it in the field since…" She didn't say it, skipping over it. "I…honestly didn't think I'd be this nervous."

"You'll do great, Pidgeykins!" Lance called over his shoulder. "Besides, you took down those thieves easily enough when they broke into our castle."

 _"True,"_ Hunk said, and Pidge could hear his smile through his vote of confidence.

"Thanks, guys," she said. In her heart, though, worry reared high, and she wished desperately for Green to help ease that worry.

 _"Coran did say that the ornlitium should be heavily guarded,"_ Keith said. _"Most of those guards will undoubtedly be sentries."_

Sentries. Right. Not actual lifeforms, they were purely robotic and programmed to kill. Pidge had no qualms about accidentally tearing apart androids if she lost control. She did, however, have an issue or two with accidentally tearing apart the mine with her friends inside if she lost control.

"Thanks, Keith," she said, though the gratitude was barely more than a whisper of barely-held-back terror.

 _"Pidge, if you feel you can't handle this…"_ Shiro began gently, but she shook her head fiercely, despite him not being able to see it.

"I'll be okay," she said firmly – forcing herself to be firm. "I have to be okay with this, Shiro. I can't… I don't want to be afraid of this anymore."

 _"Okay. Okay. As long as you're sure."_

She wasn't, not in the least, but she refused to not use an asset. She had created the headband so that she could help her team when she couldn't use her bayard. She had helped her team, on Vyrk and Oi'ip and even on Zyru. But Zyru and its tyr'kai had shaken her trust in herself to wield the gem confidently, and she hated that. She hated how afraid she was, and she knew that this mission would either solidify the precarious trust she'd been building in her exercises with Coran and Allura, or it would shatter it completely.  
If she failed to control the gem while on this mission, she knew she would never use it again.

It was on the heels of that conclusion that Shiro spoke again. _"Just remember, Pidge: you're doing this for Green."_

Green. Her Lion. One of her best friends. The only one who knew her, mind and soul, inside and out.

If she failed to control the gem while on this mission, she knew she would never use it again. But she would not fail the mission. She would not fail Green.

-:-:-:-

The infiltration went as well as it possibly could have. (Thank goodness for Lance who had taken out the sentry before it could sound an alarm.) They wove their way through the intricate tunnel systems, Pidge leading the way with Coran's map on her computer gauntlet. Thin veins of ornlitium snaked amongst crags and cracks in the walls, faintly reflecting the Paladins' turquoise armour lights and the reddish-white lanterns hanging from the ceiling. "We need to get to the main deposit," said Pidge when Keith paused at the sight.  
"Coran said these veins won't be enough for what we need."

"Lead on," Shiro encouraged with a smile. "Stay close," he added to the others.

As they made their way deeper and deeper into the moon's bowels, Pidge couldn't help the trepidation and wariness plucking at the hairs on the back of her neck. "We've only come across one sentry," she whispered.

"I know," Shiro answered just as quietly. "We're almost there, right?"

"Yeah. Just around this corner..."

Shiro stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and jerked his chin to Lance and Hunk. Both nodded grimly and tiptoed to the corner with their ready blasters. Pidge stayed absolutely still, her heart beating a staccato in her chest, as they peeked around the rock.

"Clear," Hunk said at last while Lance whistled low.

"Would you look at that!" he said.

Forcing her legs to not give out with relief, Pidge darted forward, only to slam to a halt in awe. When Coran had said 'main deposit' for the ornlitium, she would never have thought it would have looked this incredible. Massive ores from fist- to Hunk-sized jutted out of the rock walls and practically glowed beneath the gentle lighting. The ore was nearly translucent, and the lights gave it all an opalescent gleam.

"Oh. Wow," whispered Keith, his eyes huge.

"All right, guys. Let's get to work," Shiro said, shaking off his own awe. "Pidge, how much do we need?"

"Coran said to fill as many canisters as possible," she replied, kneeling to unbuckle the carry-rack of canisters from off her back. "Don't worry about the ore transforming. It's dormant in its raw form."

"All right. Let's move fast."

Empty containers soon sat in piles, ready and waiting. There was no way to use tools like hammers or chisels to get the ornlitium out without bringing Galran security down on them. Pidge inhaled shakily. This was why Coran had urged her to take the headband.

Pressing her palms to the nearest and biggest ore, she closed her eyes. Please, please, please don't let me mess this up, she begged whoever would listen. Exhaling slowly, she felt that tiny twinge in her brain that was the Olkari gem, felt it heat at the base of her skull. Green light flashed against her closed eyelids. There was a soft crack and then a series of quiet clinks, and then Shiro's hand was on her shoulder.

"Good work, Pidge. Keep at it and we'll get it packed up."

She didn't open her eyes, merely followed the gem's power to another giant piece of the precious mineral and continued to work.

Two-thirds of the canisters were full when the gem whispered in Pidge's mind: _heavy feet, large bodies, metal, not flesh._

With one hand still on the ornlitium, she snapped her eyes open and looked down the tunnel. She had no way to know that her eyes glowed a pale green, sclera, iris and pupil obscured, and that Hunk visibly faltered at the sight.

"Uh, Pidge?" he asked, garnering the others' attention.

In answer, she raised her hand, pointing down the tunnel. "Here they come," she said, her voice holding a double timbre that echoed strangely in her bones.

The ornlitium she was mining fell in sizable pieces around her feet. In a distant corner of her brain, she heard Shiro call for Keith to continue filling the canisters. Lance and Hunk, armed with long-range weapons, would defend them.

Pidge stepped to the next jutting rock of ornlitium, but still kept half of her senses trained on the tunnel. "Twenty-six approach," she announced. "All are armed and are sentries."

"Good to know, Pidgeykins," Lance said with a slight tremor in his voice. He made to step in front of her, but she flicked her fingers and he jerked to a halt not of his own accord.

"Don't step in front of me," she told him. "Hunk, take two steps to your right."

"Uh...okay."

Racing metal feet echoed off the walls, drowning out all other sound, and Pidge was distantly surprised that she wasn't afraid. Her heart beat its normal rhythm and her thoughts weren't in overdrive to devise a plan. She was utterly calm, which was a little frightening. Behind her, Shiro and Keith hurried to load the last of the ornlitium and then load the canisters onto the carry-racks.

A blaster shot glowing purple-white seared through the air and struck the rock wall where Hunk's head had been three seconds before. Pidge caught a glimpse of a silver domed head, and then the gem heated uncomfortably.

 _Danger, danger, danger. Protect, protect, protect._

 _Wait, no!_ Pidge fell to her knees and clenched her hands into fists against the floor. Tendrils of power still escaped, aiming directly for the approaching enemy. Lance and Hunk both gasped when the four sentries in front burst into ash, and retreated a couple steps.

Pidge laboured to breathe, clamping down as hard as she could on the gem's will with her own. "Not. This. Time," she bit out through her teeth.

The sentries behind those that were now dust barely hesitated and open-fired.

"Shields!" Shiro shouted.

 _Protect!_ shouted the gem.

"NO!" Pidge screamed.

Everything froze in place for half a second. Pidge blinked, feeling her lashes slowly press together in the now-infinite time span. She exhaled and in a detached way marvelled at the feeling of oxygen moving through her body, regulated by the suit.

And then time resumed and everything - the walls, the ground, the ceiling, the sentries in front and her friends around her, even time itself - spun. It all coalesced into a swirl of colour and feeling, no longer tangible or separate. Pieces were now the whole.

Pidge rose to her feet and lifted her hands - were they glowing?

"Pidge!" The terror came from everywhere and everything, stabbing at her. The gem took it into itself because terror was feeling and feeling was chemicals and chemicals were cosmic dust, the same cosmic dust that made up the gem and Pidge and guns and rock. They took the terror, took that precious bit of cosmic dust, and They smiled.

Green and purple-white lit the mine and They swept their left arm to the right. The tunnel's left wall collapsed outward as if in an explosion, but the rock and freed ornlitium stayed suspended in midair, condensing into a solid wall: a shield. Blaster shots echoed harmlessly off it, and They nodded when the muffled sounds of shouting reached Them. The enemy was held back. They had protected what needed to be protected. Good.

"Pidge?"

Confusion, wariness, terror, love. These prodded at Them, but that was all right because They were not needed anymore.

"Pidge?"

Pidge blinked, watched the eerie green light fade, and sank to her knees, breathing hard. Hands caught her, lifting her up.

"Pidge? Pidge, can you hear me? We gotta get out of here!"

"Okay," she managed. The gem was cold through its enveloping cloth and she shivered as she got her feet under her and stood.

Lance's worried face blurred out of focus for a second, then cleared. "Are you okay? Can you run?"

She didn't want to, but she would. "Yes."

He didn't look convinced. "Stay close to me," he said as his hands left her shoulders and went to the discarded bayard on the rocky floor.

"I can take a carrier..." she began.

"You are not taking anything!" Keith snapped. "Shiro's got it. Come on! That wall won't hold if they have explosives."

Lance nudged her forward, he and Hunk falling in behind to defend their backs. They moved as swiftly as they could. Keith, who was in front, checked side-tunnels before advancing while Shiro hovered barely a foot off his shoulder, hand not yet glowing but at the ready.

Pidge kept up only because Hunk and Lance were behind her. She stumbled along, her vision doubling and blurring randomly, and she wondered if Coran knew about these side-effects of using the gem. Or was it the gem using her? It certainly hadn't been her brain telling her what to do. She had felt like a bystander in her own body, and that frightened her. As soon as this was over, she'd talk to Coran.

A muffled boom heralded stomping metal feet a few minutes later. "We got company!" Hunk announced, whirling midstride and shooting back down the tunnel.

"Run!" Shiro commanded. "Keith, go! Pidge, move it!"

Pidge moved, blinking back the hedging darkness gathering in her eyes.

"Hunk, do you think you can call your Lion?" asked Shiro. "We need to get out of here yesterday."

"I can try. Gimme a minute." Hunk blasted six more sentries off their tails and then fell silent. He still ran, but his eyes were half-closed and even his breathing eased.

For herself, Pidge focussed on putting one foot in front of the other, desperately wishing they were already on their way back to the Castle.

Not half a minute later, another blaster shot ripped through the air, but the direction was all wrong. It wasn't behind them, but in front, and Keith spun to the floor with a barely-heard gasp of pain. He didn't get back up.

"No!" Shiro roared, and despite carrying two cannister racks, his hand ignited and he leaped over Keith's prone body for the three sentries blocking their way.

"Keith!" Pidge fell to her knees beside him, her fingers dancing across her left gauntlet to bring up her bio-scanner.

"Yellow's coming!" yelled Hunk. "She's bringing the others. They're three minutes out."

Three minutes. So much could happen in three minutes.

The bio-scanner onlined and beeped in brilliant red. Pidge rolled Keith over, his head lolling limply on his neck, and found the entry wound on his right side, just below his ribcage. The wound was cauterised with the shot's heat, but the internal damage would kill him.

Pod. They needed a cryo-pod. They needed one now. The bio-scanner didn't lie. Keith was dying.

 _Protect.  
_  
The Olkari gem, stone-cold a moment ago, heated once more. But it wasn't the blazing inferno from before, searing and controlling. No, this was the gentle warmth of spring sunshine on dewed grass, and it enlightened and encouraged.

Pidge stretched out her left hand, her right holding tight to her activated bayard (just in case), and laid her splayed fingers across the hole in Keith's armour.

 _We are all made up of the same cosmic dust._

Pidge's vision blurred completely as green power sparkled beneath her hand. The gem drew her along carefully, guiding her will and mind to what needed to be done. She wasn't making weapons out of branches or turning the floor into goop. She was healing. Healing was careful and precise, a wrong move meaning death. Blackness washed over her, the shouts and whizzes of fighting and blasterfire dulled, but the gem kept her upright and conscious - barely - and she kept working.

Blind and deaf as she was to the world, and with the gem focussing its power on Keith, she didn't notice when someone dodged past Shiro's defense. She did, however, notice when a thick, armoured arm wrapped around her neck, a forearm pressing against her throat, and yanked her onto her feet and backwards. A muffled clink had her imagining a gun being placed at her helmet, and her heart stuttered in her chest; she had no idea if the helmet would protect her from point-blank range.

"Keith!" she squeaked, still unable to see. The gem kept her standing, though she swayed with exhaustion.

"Pidge! Let her go! Let her go right now!" Lance shouted, his voice sounding like it came from underwater.

"You are in no position to make demands." The voice of the enemy that held her was distinctly not mechanical. She'd been wondering when the flesh-and-blood Galra would show up. Sentries were terribly inefficient in hostage opportunities. "Lay down your weapons and surrender."

"Like hell!" snarled Shiro.

The arm around her neck tightened and Pidge wheezed as her air cut off. Her weak hands - where was her bayard? Did she drop it? - scrabbled at the arm uselessly.

"No, no! Look, man, look. We're putting them down! See?" Hunk said desperately. "Now let her go."

"That was not our agreement," was the nasty retort. "I think Emperor Zarkon will be keenly interested in this one's powers. I wonder," he added in a hiss by her ear, "if you were born with them, or you learned."

"It's a bit of both, to be honest," she snapped, though it came out in a squeak.

"Don't say anything, Pidge!" Shiro commanded her.

"Not that it will make a difference," the Galran said with a sneer. "Now, you're all going to come with me. Black Paladin, you can carry the Red Paladin."

 _Don't!_ Pidge wanted to scream. She wasn't at all sure that the internal damage had been healed, but jostling Keith was not ideal if he was to live, so she took a deep breath and bowed her head. "Don't bother," she said, trying to make her tone as mournful as possible. "He's dead."

"He's what?" Shiro rasped. She could only imagine the look on his face and tears burned in her eyes. "No. No, that's not true."

"Shiro," she began, but that accursed arm squeezed once more and she choked.

"Stop, stop!" Lance begged.

"I grow tired of this," the Galran said. "You will do as I say, or I will kill the Green Paladin!"

As if his threat was a summons, the ground trembled. Loose rock tumbled from the ceiling, striking the floor with a clatter, as a dull roar shook the mine.

"What-?" the Galran demanded, and then Yellow arrived.

Blasting her way from above, she landed in the now-widened tunnel and hummed. Pidge new there were words in the hum, but without Green and her bond with the Pride, she was cut off. Still, she smiled and knew that Black, Red and Blue hovered overhead, though she could still see nothing.

"You're dead meat," she rasped weakly through her abused throat.

"Then you will be, too," he hissed and he dragged her backwards.

"No, no! Pidge!"

"Yellow, don't! You'll hurt Pidge!"

"Lance, take the shot!"

"I can't!"

The Lions roared, hatred and rage in their voices, but no one dared to do anything for fear of hurting her.

Her captor chuckled. "All five Paladins, but only four Lions. Hm. Well, I'm sure the Emperor will reward me anyway."

"We're not going anywhere with you," snapped Lance.

"I don't think you have much of a choice," he began, but Pidge cut him off.

"Then just take me."

Silence fell in the ruined mine. Even the Lions were stunned.

"Please, let them go," she continued.

"And why would I do that? All five Paladins versus just one? I think not."

Pidge snorted and promptly winced, but she still said, "Do you honestly think some sentries will be enough to guard us all? Or the handful of Galra you have here? Better to take one and at least have a sporting chance of not dying while en route to Zarkon."

"You have a point," was the interested reply. "Very well, then. Your life for theirs."

Her conscious friends immediately protested. "No! No, Pidge, no!"

And over the din, came Lance's frightened voice: "No, Pidge! We're not leaving you! I'm not going to break my promise!"

Pidge's heart hammered in her throat and she swallowed hard. "Lance… I think…you don't have a choice."

There was no choice. Not for them and not for her. Keith was down and they needed to get him to the Castle. Once he and Green were all healed up, then they could come after her. She'd do her best to stay alive until then.

No. There was no choice.

The tears welling in her eyes fell down her cheeks as the Galran hauled her away. Hunk whimpered, but it was quickly lost in the Lions' roars.

It was in that moment, when she accepted her defeat and her doom, that the gem, quiet and cold against her skin, heated once again.

 _Protect._

 _But there's no one to protect anymore,_ she mused.

 _Protect,_ the gem affirmed, and it was then that she realised there _was_ someone needing protection: her. The gem would protect her.

 _I'm too tired,_ she said. She was already blind and halfway deaf. There was no way her body would be able to handle channelling anymore of the gem's power.

 _Fear not. Cosmic dust is cosmic dust. All is connected. All is a part of everything, and everything is a part of all.  
_  
With that, the gem released its power, and Pidge felt more than saw it lance out in all directions, snaking up the walls and winding around them.

"What are you doing?" her captor snarled.

The answer was not hers. "Protect," she said in that frightening double timbre. The ground bucked beneath their feet and the ceiling cracked and came down with a roar.

-:-:-:-

Lance stared at the collapsed tunnel and couldn't feel the bayard-rifle in his hands. He couldn't feel his heart beat wildly in his chest. He couldn't feel himself breathe. He couldn't feel anything at all.

"No. No."

It was a whisper through the mine, and he couldn't tell who it was. Perhaps it was himself?

More whispers. More horror. "No. Pidge, no."

And then a shout, a bellow, a roar of denial and rage and hopelessness: "NO!"

"Lance!"

But Lance didn't hear as he surged forward, dropping his bayard, fell to his knees, and scrabbled at the rock, shifting, prying, yanking. _Please, no, not Pidge. Never Pidge. Not our Paladin-Pidge. Not Green's Pidge._ With Green offline, it was borderline impossible to find out through the Pride bond if Pidge lived.

"Pidge! Pidge!" he shouted, and his face was wet with streaming tears.

There was movement behind him, but he didn't turn to look.

 _Red's Keith needs medical attention,_ Blue told him gently. _Black's Takashi has him now. He will contact the Princess and Support Commander for an extraction._

Lance nodded through his tears, unable to say or think anything.

"Lance?" Hunk knelt beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Lance, you need to come away."

"Pidge is under there!" he shouted, rounding on his best friend. "Don't you care?"

Visibly stung by the hurtful accusation, Hunk nevertheless spoke calmly. "Yeah, man, I do. I care a lot. But the Lions will do a faster job than we can, so let's come away and let them work to get Pidge out. Okay?"

Lance shook his head, but didn't protest, and Hunk heaved him to his feet. As soon as they had retreated, Yellow and Blue moved in while Black hung back, safeguarding Shiro and Keith, with Red on her flank and alert for anymore enemies.

The two carefully and cautiously used their claws to pull at the rockfall, and Lance knew Blue's scanners were at maximum; her scrutiny was a sharp knife in his mind as she dug through the rubble.

It wasn't Blue, though, that sensed the movement beneath the rock. Perhaps it was because Hunk was the Guardian Spirit of Earth and she was the Yellow Lion. Perhaps it wasn't the scanners, but their own intrinsic and innate instincts in matters of earth, soil and rock. Whatever it was, something tugged at them. And because Lance was so focussed, he felt it, too.

 _/Hunk? Yellow Sister?/_ Lance and Blue dared to venture.

 _/Something is moving beneath the rock,/_ was the reply, and there was rising hope in the words.

Black Sister was suddenly above them, her thrusters holding steady as she hovered. _/Feel that, my brothers and sisters? Can you feel the energy swirling?/_

They were all silent for several ticks, feeling and wondering, and hope rose higher when they recognised the sensation.

 _/Pidge was wearing her headband,/_ whispered Shiro just as Lance said, _/Pidge has the Olkari gem!/_

An explosion rocked the destroyed tunnel, but instead of collapsing inward, the debris blasted upwards, like some absurd volcano of rock and metal rather than lava and searing ash. It was their Pidge, and as the last of the dust slowly dissipated, they all saw the tiny white and green figure climbing out of the ruins – conscious and alive and moving and _alive.  
_  
Lance's heart skittered against his ribs, and his breaths were laboured with relief and the sobs that choked him. Or was that all him? Because it certainly didn't feel like just him as he felt a hand that was too big braced against the wall, and as he eased back his right hand's grip so he wouldn't crush Keith's unresponsive fingers.

 _/All is well, precious Hearts,/_ Black purred. _/Be at peace. Our Paladin-Pidge is alive. Sisters, gather our Paladins. The Castle has arrived./_

Lance launched himself forward, using Blue's paw to scramble up the rocks, and Hunk was right beside him. "Pidge!" he shouted, joy a rising surge in his chest.

Pidge looked up at him, then, and her eyes were that freaky glowing green again. "Safe now," she said, her voice not her own, and it was when Lance was right in front of her that the green glow vanished, her eyes rolled back, and she slumped into his arms.

 _/Green's Pidge is safe for now,/_ Red said quietly, _/but she is exhausted. She has channelled too much of the Olkari gem's power. Come, little ones. Let us leave this awful place./_

Lance gathered Pidge up and carried her to Blue while Hunk rapidly fetched all of the cannister racks that had been discarded in the chaos. He settled her on the pull-out cot in the cockpit and removed her helmet for her comfort. He took in the wan paleness of her face and a few more tears fell.

 _Take heart, my Paladin-Lance,_ Blue soothed. _Green's Pidge will be all right._

"I know," he whispered, and his fingers reached out to tuck her hair out of her face. "It's just...I broke my promise."

 _Ah,_ said his Lion, and her tone was solemn. _That should be a discussion with her.  
_  
Lance nodded absently and turned away.

-:-:-:-

It was a relief to all when Red, upon her arrival at the mine, told them that Pidge had lied about Keith being dead. Not only had she lied, but she had healed more than half of the damage done. Keith spent only five hours in a cryo-pod: a new record that everyone was grateful for.

Pidge slept for two days which was the same amount of time the ornlitium took to perfectly mimic Green's metallic compositions. When she awoke, she had no recollection past healing Keith and threw herself into repairing her Lion. Pidge, Coran and Hunk worked ceaselessly, Shiro, Lance, Keith and even Allura assisting them regularly through the next six days. All were present when Green's eyes onlined, once again glowing gold, and she brought her massive muzzle to Pidge's chest. The hangar rumbled with her purr.

 _Green was worried about my Paladin-Pidge,_ she said. _Green is glad my Heart is all right and safe._

Pidge huffed a laugh and clutched what she could reach harder. _You do so much for me, Green. It was past time to return the favour. How do you feel?_

Green pulled away carefully and shook her head several times. _Good as new,_ she replied and resumed her nuzzling.

-:-:-:-

Later that night, Pidge delved into the Pride bond, seeking the missing details in her memory. She sat through the Lions' emotional replay of that moment, and Green added her own. Almost cut off though she had been, she had nevertheless been privy to her Paladin's thoughts and emotions that day. Pidge watched the event unfold from every perspective wordlessly and then, extricating herself from the bond, she sat in her hangar for the rest of the night, tucked between Green's front paws. She basked in her Lion's purr and soft mental nuzzling, and thought long and hard.

In the early morning, before even Keith or Allura awoke, she sought out Lance and found him in his bedroom, still asleep. But knowing what she now did, she knew this conversation could wait no longer.

"Hey, Lance?" she asked, easing the slightly-ajar door wider.

In the dim light from the hall, Lance blinked slowly awake and lifted his head to look at her. "What's up, Pidge?" he asked with a yawn. "You're awake early."

She shook her head. "Yeah. I...couldn't sleep. I've…I've been thinking."

"You were up all night?" He wiggled upright and turned on his bedside-table lamp. "Well, come on in. You can tell Big Brother Lance all about it."

Pidge tried to smile at his lightness, but her steps were heavy as she crossed the floor, clambering up onto his bed and winkling her way into the spot between him and the wall.

Lance stiffened in surprise, but wound an arm around her shoulders as she rested her head against him. "What's wrong, Pidgeykins? What are you thinking about?"

She inhaled shakily, steeling herself, and said quietly, "I talked to the Lions...about what happened. They showed me everything and...I've been thinking about what you said back there…at the mine. You thought you were breaking your promise."

"Oh."

"Yeah." She paused and then sat up to look him directly in the eyes. "I know that keeping a promise like that is hard, especially because we're at war and we're just a bunch of kids, and…and it's possible that maybe you might break it in the future." Before Lance could say anything, she continued. "I know you'll kick yourself if you ever really broke that promise, so…so I'm making you a promise in return…if that's okay?"

"Uh, sure. I…I guess. I mean, I don't want to break a promise to you, Pidgey, especially that one, but…yeah, sure. What's your promise?"

What nerves stuttering in her heart smoothed out and her voice was calm and confident as she said, "I promise that if circumstances outside of our control make you break your promise to never leave me behind, I will do my best to come back. Okay? I promise to come back to this Team."

"Oh. Pidge, I…" Lance trailed off, tears gathering in his eyes. He tried again, swallowing hard. "That's…good. That's good. Okay."

"Okay?" she asked, double-checking.

He nodded wordlessly and hugged her hard.

She hugged him back. "I was so scared, Lance. I remember now. For a second, I thought I would never see my family again."

"You'll see them again," Lance said after taking a long moment to collect himself.

She shook her head fervently, sniffing. "No. I mean, yeah, I know I'll find Dad and Matt, but…but I was afraid I wouldn't see this family. You and Keith and Hunk and Shiro and Allura and Coran and the Lions. I was so afraid, Lance. So that's why I'm promising. I won't break my promise and I'll never be afraid like that ever again."

Neither she nor Lance had any idea that her confidence poured through the Pride bond, nor did they have any idea that Shiro, Keith and Hunk smiled in their sleep while the Lions purred.

It was a good promise, after all.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review.


	36. Chapter 36: Fear and Control

**Special Thanks** to: **KitStardale** , **kelli.n.c** , **TooEasilyDistracted** , **Fluehatraya** , **CrazyRedmanelion** , **IzzyBelleDot** , **TheDuskTerror** , **BrokenKestral** , **CarnelianWing** , **Fir3danc3r** , **TeenTitansFanForever02** , and **Human** (your reviews on Chapters 1, 5, and 12). Thank you so, very much for your kindness and encouragement!

Welcome to all new readers, followers, and favouriters!

 **Dedication:** To **kelli.n.c.** I agree: the ending surprised me, too. Here is that conversation you were hoping for.

 _Chapter 36: Fear and Control_

It wasn't even subtle. Pidge noticed as soon as she walked into the kitchen one afternoon after tinkering in her hangar. She wore her headband to keep her hair out of her face, as well as to help her overcome her own misgivings about the Olkari gem. The little stone was cool and calm against her skin, inactive. When she walked into the kitchen, Hunk and Keith, who were both sat at the island, froze in smiling at her. Their bodies went rigid, their eyes darting to the headband, to her face and then away.

Pidge noticed instantly, for she had been that afraid before, and so she spun on her heal and walked right back out without saying anything.

 _My Paladin-Pidge, your heart is troubled,_ said Green, her voice a purr of comfort.

 _All of me is troubled,_ Pidge replied as she halted in the hallway and leaned her head back against the wall. Neither Hunk nor Keith followed, and she wasn't sure if she was grateful for that.

If those two were this afraid, then odds were high that Lance was, too, possibly even Shiro. It hurt. She knew how much her fear of the gem had hurt the Team, and she had no idea how to make it right. By the stars, it had taken her _months_ of training sessions and she _still_ wasn't over it. Granted, she didn't think she'd ever get over what happened with the tyr'kai, but at least she wouldn't live in terror anymore.

 _Team Voltron fears the Olkari gem,_ Green observed.

 _They have a good reason. It's not their fault._

 _No, it isn't,_ she agreed. _But like your fear, it cannot continue._

Pidge sighed heavily, scowling. _They don't use it,_ she said. _How can I make them not afraid? I want to help them, Green, but I don't know how._

 _Green suggests seeking the counsel of Support Commander. He helped you, my Heart. He can help the others._

Coran. Of course. She'd been meaning to speak with him anyway. She had questions about the gem, namely its side-effects. She didn't think blindness and deafness were common occurrences, but it never hurt to ask. She would ask.

 _Thanks, Green,_ she said as she pushed off the wall and headed for the Bridge. She smiled when her Lion purred at her.

-:-:-:-

Coran was on the Bridge, as she hoped he would be, but so were Allura and Shiro. Allura she didn't mind because she had helped train her with the gem, but Shiro? Just like with Hunk and Keith, he stiffened when he saw her, though he did his best to hide it.

"Ah, Number Five!" Coran greeted her with a grin. "Come in, come in. You're wearing the headband, I see."

"Yeah," Pidge mumbled. "It...it's about time I get used to it again."

Allura smiled at her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Pidge. You've come so far and you're doing a wonderful job of it."

"Thanks, Allura. Um, Coran, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course, you can," he said kindly. "Would you like privacy?"

"Uh," Pidge hesitated. "We don't have to," she said, just as Shiro said, "I'll go."

Her heart ached in her chest. She didn't want him to go. He was her leader, the Head of Voltron. He needed to be a part of this conversation. She needed his support. But she couldn't voice it. She hated how scared he was and how he was running away from her. But she would never voice it because she didn't want to force him deeper into his fear.

Shiro barely made two steps before he stopped and slowly turned back around. His hands trembled slightly and his face was pale, but his eyes were confused as he said, "Pidge, would you like me to stay?"

She sent a wordless query to Green. Her Lion had voiced her 'heart-thoughts' to the Pride before, and the Lions had received and relayed them to their Paladins. Had she done it again?

 _No, my Paladin-Pidge,_ was the calm reply. _Our Paladins are strong in their bond with each other and are only getting stronger. Your hearts call to one another in times of need._

Oh. Well, all right then.

"Pidge?" Shiro was closer now, his eyes earnest as he searched her face. "I can stay if you want me to."

"I don't want you to be afraid," she said. "What can I do to help you not be afraid?"

 _Take it off._ The statement was voiceless yet it was undoubtedly Shiro's voice. Not in her ears, not even in her brain where her Lion purred and rumbled at her, but in her heart. The words constricted her chest, making it hard to breathe; Shiro was so afraid, but like her, he wouldn't hurt her.

"Okay," she said, answering the request. Slowly, she removed the headband and stuffed it into her jacket pocket.

Shiro stared at her, as did Allura and Coran. "Heart-thoughts?" Shiro asked at last.

"Heart-thoughts," Pidge confirmed.

Allura gasped in amazement, her gaze dancing between them. "You're hearing each other! This is incredible!"

"A discussion for a later time," interrupted Coran. "Come, let us sit."

They sat on Allura's platform in a loose circle. Before Pidge could open her mouth to begin, however, the doors swished open, admitting Keith, Lance and Hunk.

"Hey," Lance said with a half-hearted grin and wave. "Heard there was a Team meeting going down with only half the Team."

"Join us," Allura encouraged after a quick glance at Pidge. "We've barely started."

After a bit of shuffling and scooting over, everyone had a place in their circle.

"So what's this about?" Hunk ventured.

Pidge pulled the headband out of her pocket and ignored the four bodies that stiffened around her. "I have a few questions," she said.

Coran nodded, knowing it was him being addressed. "Go on."

"I'm...I'm pretty sure that dizziness is a common symptom of using the gem, right?"

"Yes. That's correct. Although, it does ease considerably as you become stronger in its use." He frowned suddenly and asked, "Are you experiencing other symptoms?"

"Yes." Her hands worried the cloth as she said, "While I was healing Keith, I lost my vision entirely."

"You what?" gasped Lance while everyone else looked stricken.

"I also became slightly deaf. Well, more like half deaf. Everything sounded like I was underwater. I could barely stand - I couldn't stand. The gem knew there was still danger and kept me on my feet."

"My, my," Coran said as he pulled his moustache. "That is serious." Everyone else stared at her with horror. "Anything else?"

Pidge looked down. "Um, does hearing the gem count?"

No one moved. Even Coran was still.

Then, after a long moment, Allura said slowly, her eyes wide, "It...speaks...to you."

"Kind of. I mean, it's not like we're having in-depth conversations or anything. Its vocabulary is pretty limited."

"What has it said to you?" asked Coran, his eyes troubled.

"Danger and...protect. It also kind of...nudges me when something or someone is getting closer. When you told me about the mine, that day in Green's hangar, it told me you were coming. I knew you were there before you knocked on the door."

"Incredible."

"And kind of scary," Pidge pointed out. "I've already got a Pride and a Team in my head. I don't need this."

"Then don't use it," Lance said abruptly. He didn't look at her when he said it, but his tone was undeniable.

"I have to!" she shot back. "We wouldn't have gotten the ornlitium without it. Keith would have died!"

Silence fell and then Keith said quietly, "Thanks again for that."

She smiled at him. "I couldn't have done it without the gem. It told me what to do."

"You could have reduced him to molecules," Hunk said, his voice weak and shaky.

"No," she replied with shake of her head. "No, I couldn't have. Because the gem is beginning to recognise who is my friend and who isn't. It... Back there...in the mine...most of that wasn't me."

"It's controlling you." The horrified whisper was Allura's.

"It's channelling power through me of its own accord," Pidge corrected. "There is no control. It's not me and it's not the gem. It just...is."

"It's like a river." Shiro's contemplative voice startled them all, but he barely noticed. "The gem is the water and you're the banks."

"Then how is the water flowing?" wondered Allura.

"Gravity. Need." The answer was so obvious now and Pidge wanted to kick herself. So obvious! "Need pulls the power along and...based on what the gem is learning from me, it's guided."

"That actually makes a lot of sense," said Coran. "It explains why, even when you were at your most vulnerable, the gem didn't hurt your teammates. It targeted only the tyr'kai, and that was when you had barely used it. It knew, even then."

"It knows. It learns. You make it sound like this rock is sentient," Lance grumbled.

"The Olkari do not require these stones to use their abilities," said Coran. "The gems enable others to connect to the universe in ways the Olkari can do at birth. What the gems actually are, I do not know, nor do I know how they are made. It is likely that what enables the connection between wearer and universe has some form of cognisance or, indeed, sentience."

Everyone looked down at the unobtrusive headband sitting in Pidge's hands in her lap, and through the cloth, she felt its cool inactivity. She tucked the headband back into her pocket, and though no one relaxed, everyone was a little less tense as soon as it was out of sight.

"I don't know what to do," she said at last. "It's useful - an asset - and I'm not really afraid of it anymore. I'm afraid for me. I don't... I can't be a liability in the field if I use it."

"You're not a liability, Pidge," Keith said.

"I didn't even hear him come up behind me," she protested.

"Hear who?" Allura asked gently.

"Him. The Galran soldier or captain or whatever. I never saw him. Didn't hear him until he had grabbed me. It's still so fuzzy." She rubbed her forehead and eyes with her palms' heels. "I can't do that on missions. I almost got us all killed - or at least captured."

"Pidge," Shiro began.

"I almost got us _killed_ , Shiro," she repeated.

"No." He reached over and took both her hands, pulling them away from her face. "Pidge, listen to me. You wanted me here because there were things I needed to hear and because I am your leader. As your leader, I need you to listen to me now." He paused, making sure he had her attention, and then he continued. "What happened was not your fault. You were focussed elsewhere - you were helping Keith - and so it was our job to protect you both. That solider got past me. That's on me."

"You did everything you could," said Pidge, but he smiled wryly at her.

"And how would you know that if you couldn't see?" he asked gently.

"I know _you_. You always do your best to protect us. I don't have to see it all the time to know it's true."

"She's got you there, Shiro," Keith put in with a tiny smile.

Shiro cast him a withering look, prompting a chuckle from the group. "Regardless," he said, turning back to her, "you are not at fault for this."

"But I'm still a liability," said Pidge.

"Yes." The gentle confirmation was a knife to her soul, but she forbade herself to cry. "But we can work on it You've _been_ working on it. Pidge, we've all gone through so much, and I'm so proud of all of us, of how far we've come as a Team. We can figure this out. We'll find a way. Together. We'll all help."

Pidge looked around at the others, gauging their expressions. Lance, Keith and Hunk all nodded, smiling and willing. They would help her. They would overcome their fear by helping her. Allura and Coran looked confident and hopeful.

She returned to Shiro and nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat, and Shiro tugged her close, pulling her into a hug. He rested his chin on her head.

 _Thank you,_ she thought.

There were no words in his reply, but his arms tightened around her and it felt like Black, her infinite night sky enveloping her. All five Paladins heard their Lions purr.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review.

 **VERY IMPORTANT Author's Note:** I'm not sure how many of you know, but I've put up a poll on my profile (and on tumblr if you follow me there). The gist of it is that I am letting you decide what I'm going to write the next chapter about. I'm bringing Matt in, but I'm not sure if I just want to re-write the canon reunion from Green's perspective, or if I want to come up with an entirely knew scenario. I'm letting you choose (because I literally can't)! Either leave a comment in your review, vote in the poll on my bio page, or PM me directly. I am so undecided, you guys! Let me know what you'd like to see, and if I get a decent response, I'll make a little announcement on tumblr and my bio before I post the next chapter. Thank you in advance!

Also! Today is Comic Con and, yes, I have made nice the formatting of and printed off 'Switched'! (Times New Roman, size 12 and 38,480 words apparently equate to 90 pages - who knew? Good thing my printer does double-sided printing.) I will let you all know how it goes on both of my tumblr blogs 'theredscreech' and '153-centimeters-of-sass'.


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